Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople
by macaronibabycakes
Summary: Natsu and his fellow pirates of the Fairy Tail Crew set sail on the seas of Fiore only to wash up on an island whose waters hold more underneath than just fish and seaweed. NaLu, GaLe, Gruvia, Jerza
1. Chapter 1

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople - Ch. 1

Chase

Fiore Kingdom was a large place, vast you could say. Surrounded in mass by glistening strips and streams and bodies of water in every cardinal direction was the Fiore mainland. The mainland was close to circular in shape, thousands of square miles in size, and littered with hundreds of large cities and small towns. These cities and towns were the homes of every kind of person you could meet in a place like Fiore: merchants, artisans, poets, weavers, bakers, cobblers, quilters, blacksmiths, wielders, and yes- pirates. Yep, rough, adventurous, thieving, fun-loving pirates. However in Fiore, pirates were considered heroes. Brave, inventive, individuals that would sacrifice anything for even the taste of a fight or quest. Individuals that held camaraderie and kinship above all values. Being received so happily in the kingdom, dozens of pirate crews like Phantom Lord, Lamia Scale, and Blue Pegasus called Fiore their home. Another one of these pirate crews was Fairy Tail.

"Sorry!" A voice yelled as two fruit carts were knocked over, their owners cursing and waving their fists at the person who did it. He was running down a busy market street weaving in and out of and around carts, stands and people. He jumped over rolled rugs and avoided children running at full speed accompanied by a tomcat who matched his pace. Together they looked like a stray fireball. The young man's pink hair flying from under his black bandana with his cat's blue fur made them look like they could burn down anything that would get in their way. And the tattoo printed on his right arm marked him as one of them: a Fairy Tail pirate.

"Hey, watch it brat!" an elderly man screamed after being almost trampled.

"Sorry, Pops!" the young man hollered back, twisting his body around with a wide grin on his face, heavily amused. "Dang it, Happy," he shouted to his cat, still running. "We can't keep this up for much longer." They'd been running for a while. The pink-haired boy made a sharp left, scooping up his cat as he skidded into a dead end alley way, panting and leaning against the wall. His face and bare torso were covered in sweat underneath his open black vest. He glanced down at his feline friend, smiling. "Don't worry buddy, she won't find us here." he slid his back along the wall slowly, slightly peeking his head around the corner looking for somebody.

"What was that, Natsu?" a low voice asked.

"Gah!" the boy nearly jumped out of his clothes. He turned around sharply to see a young woman standing behind him, leaning her shoulder against the alley wall, arms crossed, ticked off. She was tall, adn slenderly athletic. She had a beautiful face with deep brown eyes, though her features were currently fashioned in fury, and long hair that framed her expression. Her locks were red, not the fiery kind, but more like the blood she seemed soon to spill.

"What was that you said?" she repeated. "Something about me not finding you? Thought you'd lose me?" Natsu stared at the girl with a mix of excitement, anticipation, anger,...and fear.

"No, I...where the heck did you come from?"

"The roof," she stated pointing up. Natsu looked up innocently like a small curious child, his mouth slightly open. 'How did she get on the roof?' he thought, distracted. Mistake number one...All of a sudden he felt as if he'd been hit in the stomach with a sledgehammer. Natsu flew causing him to throw Happy in the air and do a double backwards roll landing flat on his butt, almost biting his tongue off.

'Ouch, that hurt,' he thought.  
>He looked up reluctantly, holding his already bruising stomach, to see his red-head assailant holding his cat.<p>

"You're gonna get your pets killed if you throw them around like toys." she scolded him.

"I didn't throw him, he flew out of my hands when you donkey kicked me!...and he's my friend not my pet" he mumbled. Natsu slowly got onto his feet, pouting. "And p.s., Erza, that wasn't fair." Erza gently set Happy down on the ground.

"P.s., Natsu," Erza began, pulling a pair of gloves out of her belt and putting them on. "I'm going to kill you." Before he could even blink, Erza came running at Natsu, drawing one of her tow swords out of the hilt. The charge had surprised him, but he somehow managed to dodge it.

"Hah! Missed me!" Natsu gloated. Erza narrowed her eyes and came at him again, this time diving into a roll past him. She jumped up behind him and put the flat of her sword under Natsu's chin, pressing against his throat, slightly cutting off his air.

"Ach!" Natsu began, the pressure on his throat splicing his words. "You're not...ech! gonna really...kill me...huh?" Natsu said trying to pry the sword away from his throat. Erza pressed her sword harder.

"I like to keep my promises," Erza growled.

"That's...too...bad," Natsu said reaching downward. "You won't..ach...be able...to keep this one!" Natsu suddenly pullled his sword out of the hilt on his side. He flipped the sword and caught hold of the blade. Striking back violently, he jabbed Erza in the knee with the sword handle, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Gah!" she screamed clutching her knee. "You spoiled little brat!" She was really mad now. Natsu was standing a good ways away from Erza, out of range of her sword. But she quickly closed the gap. She lunged at Natsu, aiming her blade at his face. It seemed as if it happened in slow motion. Natsu missed the edge by a hair. His hair in fact. The sword had nicked his cheek and splintered the traces of pink locks curling out from under his bandana. He tried to strike a blow with his sword, but it was no use. Natsu made distance between them and Erza allowed it for a moment, both panting heavily. Then he noticed the smirk on her face.

"...what?" he asked feeling suspicious. No answer. "WHAT!?" he yelled stomping his feet.

'That's weird' he thought. Something was around his ankles. Feeling a slight draft, he looked down. Erza had made a new fashion statement out of his pants. They were severed from he mid-thigh down, his flame-patterned boxers peeking out. Yeah, those boxers...mistake number two.

"Ahhhh! These were my favorite pair of pants!" he screamed, dropping his sword as he pulled off his vest and covered himself. His face matched his hair tone perfectly.

"Oh please," Erza said, rolling her eyes. "You have 20 of the same pair."  
>There he was, standing in the middle of the street, bare torso, half his pants around his ankles, covering his pretty cool yet embarrassing flame boxers without a sword during a sword fight with Erza Scarlet...<p>

Crap.

At that moment, she began walking toward him slowly, the wind ominously blowing her hair and ruffling her black skirt. Her boot heels clicked on the cobblestone street...click..click...click...click. Then she stopped walking. And she started smiling.  
>Their eyes locked for several seconds, the anticipation of a strike all to apparent in the air. If you hadn't been looking, you would've missed it.<p>

All of a sudden, Erza ran toward Natsu, grabbed his vest and wrapped it around his face like a bag. He flailed his arms out, feebly trying to counterattack, but Erza went around and kicked the back of his legs, making him fall flat on his face. He straddle his back, and in one swift motion, ripped the bandana off his head and tied his wrists together behind his back like a prisoner. It was over. Erza stood up and dug her foot under Natsu, rolling him over on his back.

"Now that that's done, we're heading back." At that moment, Happy came out of nowhere. He ran toward Natsu, but when he got there, he jumped on his head and sat down on his face, muffling his speech. Happy meowed playfully. Natsu could tell his best friend was laughing at him on the inside.

"Gzee..Tanksh buddy."

In retrospect, bringing Happy along was mistake number three.


	2. Chapter 2

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch.2

Set Sail

Let's just say walking into a pirate crew hall, hands tied and half pantsed all because you screwed Erza Scarlet over by ditching her to pay your food bill probably wasn't the best way to avoid being a laughing stock. This didn't work out so well in Natsu's case, as it happens. Erza literally paraded Natsu through the crew hall like an animal on a leash, pushing him forward by his neck. When they had walked in, everyone stared in silence, their crewmates giving looks of anger, amusement, along with drunken confusion. It didn't take long before an eruption of voices came to fruition.

"Where have you been?"

"Idiot!"

"Nice boxers…"

"What happened?"

"Do you know what day it is?"

"We needed you here!"

Everyone crowded around them, trying to put their two cents in, saying how they needed them at the hall, how they've been looking everywhere, how ridiculous Natsu looked. The Fairy Tail crew was planning on setting sail the next day to the opposite side of the Fiore mainland. Everyone was in a panic trying to make last minute preparations. And with Erza; the crew's second mate, and Natsu; their resident pyro technician who wanted to bring dozens of extra boxes of explosives, weapons, and food, running amok throughout the city, it was particularly hard to get everything done.

From the right of the crowd, someone was yelling and pushing, insisting they'd be let through. Natsu caught a glance of shaggy black hair and a scowl immediately invaded his face. It was none other than Gray Fullbuster, Fairy Tail's own pervert….and oh yeah, expert marksman.

"You IDIOT! Do you know how many boxes of YOUR stuff WE had to load onto the boat because YOU WEREN'T HERE?!" Gray yelled, jabbing a finger into Natsu's chest to emphasize his points. Natsu started to say something not too nice but Erza clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Gray…can you do this later, now's not the time." Erza asked patiently.

"Later? We've been busting our butts putting all this guy's CRAP on the ship! The least he could do is-,"

Erza's eye twitched slightly. Everyone was shouting in her ear about papers, money, maps, boxes, jobs, and blah blah blah blah. She could hardly scold Gray for back talking her with all this noise.

"SHUT UP!" She belted strongly. The hall went dead silent. She pinched the bridge of her nose until her fingers went white and sighed. "Ok everyone. I'm…sorry we've been gone, but we're here now and I'm going to help anyone I can with whatever. Gray, take Natsu and do what you need. I'll be talking to Captain Makarov." Erza said still holding the back of Natsu's neck.

"What!?" Natsu yelled, twisting around slightly. "Erza you can't seriously think I'm gonna-," Erza pushed Natsu forward and pulled out her sword and slashed at Natsu. He turned around quickly, stepping back in alarm, confused as to what just happened. Then the tie around his wrists came free. Natsu rubbed his sore wrists, eyeing Erza nervously.

"Go." She simply stated, jerking her head at the door. Turning on her heels, scarlet hair swirling around her, she walked away. Once she entered the Captain's office, everyone else slowly dispersed.

"Come on," Gray said cockily, looking triumphantly after Erza.

"Fine. Sure. Whatever." Natsu grumbled, brushing past Gray, making sure to bump his shoulder in the process.

"Dude."

"What? Do you want my help or not?" Natsu retorted.

Gray pointed at Natsu's lower half, shaking his head. "Not if you're gonna walk around in your underwear.

"Humph." Natsu said, pulling up the cut off part of his pants, walking away grumpily. "I'm not a pervert…like you."

* * *

><p>After getting into a fully intact pair of bottoms, Natsu and Gray walked down to the pier where the Fairy Tail ship was anchored. And by walked, I mean they practically tripped over each other's boots elbowing one another and racing there. A large wooden ship was by the dock in the bay. Dozens of FT crew members were loading crates and boxes onto the deck and below.<p>

"Get out of my way!" Natsu screamed pushing Gray's face as they thumped along the wooden dock.

"Get out of MY way!" Gray yelled back, pulling Natsu's hair and running past him.

"Ach! You son of a-,"

BAM!

Natsu had run into something face first. He fell on his back, two crates busting open on the dock beside him. He started to rise only to find that someone was nice enough to help him up by the throat.

"What the heck, DRAGNEEL?!" Natsu met two angry eyes that burned red like coals. It was Fairies' tracker, Gajeel Redfox. His tan face was marked with piercings in his nose, eyebrows, and in both ears. He had long black hair tied back in a ponytail, out of the way of his sweat beaded face.

"ECChhh! Ga-jeel." Natsu cracked out

'Why do people keep choking me?' he thought.

Gajeel dropped Natsu to his feet, only to grab him by his vest, shaking him as he spoke.

"Oi! Do you know how long it took me to pack those crates!? And here you come along like some kind of wild bull, destroying everything! Who do you-,"

"Lay off, man!" Natsu said, slapping Gajeel's hands away from him. "Besides…" he started, brushing himself off. "If you wanna blame someone, blame Gray." He finished, pointing over his shoulder at a ticked off Gray.

"ME!? What did I do?" Gray hollered getting in Natsu's face, a vain literally pulsing in his forehead.

"Like you don't know." Natsu answered pushing Gray.

"I don't!" Gray retorted pushing Natsu back.

"SHUT UP!" Gajeel yelled butting Natsu and Gray's foreheads together with painful force.

"What the heck, man?!" Gray and Natsu exclaimed at Gajeel simultaneously, holding their heads.

"HEY!" A voice belted from down the dock. It was one of their crewmates, Elfman Strauss.

"WHAT?!" All three of them hollered back angrily. Elfman walked over to them carrying five stacked crates in his huge arms.

"You guys need to cut it out and get back to work. We're leaving tomorrow so this needs to get done and loading boxes is a job for a man!" he said enthusiastically, towering over them.

"Yeah, whatever as soon as SOMEONE cleans up the crap that HE spilled." Gajeel grumbled hinting at Natsu, who was making an attempt at ignoring him. At that moment, Mirajane, Elfman's older sister and Fairy Tail's first mate came walking off the ship with a broom, a bright smile on her face. She had pure silvery white hair like her brother's, though her pale skin was a contrast to his being tan. As she walked past her crew and friends, a couple of them stopped working to say hello or to wave at her. Some worked harder, flexing their muscles as they carried heavy things, trying to impress her. She strolled up to where the boys were arguing and cursing though when they saw her, they laid off the more vulgar comments.

"Don't worry about it, boys," Mira said waving a dismissive hand at the splintered crates. "I'll clean it up." She began sweeping when Elfman grabbed the broom from her.

"Mira don't clean up their mess! They dropped it," he said. "Besides sweeping is for a man!"

"Now, Elfman," Mira said, snatching the broom back. "What's the harm? Besides," she began, grabbing his ear and pulling it. "Gajeel probably dropped that box because YOU," she pulled his ear harder, elicitng an 'owe' from Elfman, "distracted him with your man talk." Gray and Natsu snickered behind their hands. Elfman blushed, obviously embarrassed.

"Mira," he whispered. "stop….being scolded by my sister isn't for a man."

"Aww, does wittle Elfy need a time out?" Gajeel teased with a smug grin. They all stood around laughing at Elfman's expense. Mira eventually convinced them to let her clean the mess so they could finish loading. Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Elfman walked together down the pier teasing and pushing each other, already on track to another fight.

* * *

><p>At noon the next day, the Fairy Tail Pirates set sail. The people of their hometown lined the pier cheering and waving goodbyes. The crew members stood on deck, preparing to set sail. Everyone was doing their individual jobs, Erza and Mira as second and first mate making sure things went smoothly. As they got ready to leave, the door on the upper deck came ajar. The sound of shoes thumping above caught the crew's attention. The steps ceased and everyone stood looking up at none other than Fairy captain, Makarov Dreyar.<p>

"Hello, my brats!" Makarov belted. Everyone beamed, a sense of mutual pride being felt.

"You have once again sighed up for another adventure, and as a part of this crew it may seem rudimentary…but let me tell you it's no easy decision." The Captain paused, seeming to take a moment to look at all his children's faces. "With every sail, every journey that we go on, you renew your vow as a pirate! To give your life to adventure and all that its pursuit entails. To give your life to the sea. And as a Fairy Tail Pirate, to always cherish your life and comrades." Everyone cheered a joyful hurrah. "Now, my children, let's set sail!" bellowed Makarov. The anchor was hoisted and the sails released, catching wind and flapping gracefully. The largest sail had the Fairy Tail insignia painted on it with a pirate skull and bones on top. The ship quickly picked up speed coming out of the dock and into the bay and to the beginning of something bigger than they ever thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 3

Splintered Wood, Splintered Souls

The Fairy Tail Pirates had been on the sea for 3 days. They were making good time in their quest to East Fiore in search of some kind of rumored treasure supposedly located there. Their ship, The Floating Mavis (a namesake for their 1st captain) was just like home to the pirates. Everyone stayed busy aboard, taking care of ship chores, playing cards, fighting, etc. It was the same as in their pirate crew hall back on the mainland.

At first glance, Gajeel didn't seem the creative type, but everyone in the crew knew his love for music. He sat on deck with his hair tied up, strumming strings on a black guitar decorated with iron studs. Mirajane sat next to him on a barrel with her head in her hands, looking out across the sea. The air was humid but cool breezes blew, carrying the sound of her voice as she hummed along with the guitar's tunes. Natsu sat with his back against the deck's railing, eating a bun, occasionally tearing off pieces and feeding them to Happy, who lay in Natsu's lap purring. Gray lay next to Natsu, sprawled out, fidgeting and uncomfortable. He had taken off most of his clothes, only wearing a pair of shorts, a habit that annoyed his friends. He preferred to be cold, so the humidity didn't sit well with him. Erza stood on the upper deck, outside Makarov's quarters. She had tied her hair in a bun, her usual jacket abandoned, and she held a map in her hands, keeping an eye out for changes in land to alert Elfman, who was steering the ship. As far as normal standards went, it was really quiet day. A couple of hours later, Mirajane, Elfman, and Erza had helped prepare lunch for the Fairies. Everyone sat on deck, eating and laughing, trading/sharing food or throwing it at each other's faces. Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and a couple of other guys sat around, arguing about who would beat who in a fight, as usual.

"ME! I'D WIN!" Natsu insisted with a mouth full of food. Gray pushed Natsu's face aside.

"Dude, gross. Shut your mouth when you eat."

"Ohh?" Natsu asked. He had a wicked smile with two puffy cheeks stuffed with fish. "You know what my favorite food is, Gray?" Natsu asked slyly.

"…What, like hot buns or something?" Gray answered cautiously, narrowing his eyes at Natsu.

"No, idiot…it's 'SEE' food! SEE? AHHHHH!" Natsu opened his mouth wide, showing Gray the moist, half-chewed food on his tongue. They sat there pushing each other, Natsu laughing maniacally, Gray trying not to gag. Then all of a sudden they heard a scream. It was Mira. She stood leaning precariously over the railing on the starboard side, looking out of a telescope. She seemed to have spotted something.

"What, Mira? What's wrong?" Makarov asked, running out of his quarters. Mira pointed. Soon everyone had gathered along the railings to see what was wrong. There seemed to be a pile on the water in the distance…a pile of wood. Broken pieces drifted along a mast sticking out of a chunk. It was a ship. And on the remaining drift wood were a number of bodies. They didn't seem to be moving ans as the ship drew nearer, the more positive it was that these people were dead.

There was blood on some of the boards and it seeped into the ocean, swirling as it blended like ink in water. Natsu stood along the deck with everyone else.

"This…," he whispered, clenching his fists.

"What happened?" Gray asked hopelessly under his breath. At that moment, a noise came from somewhere. Everyone seemed to have heard it but was unsure of what it had been.

"What was that noise?" Gajeel asked.

_Meow_. Natsu heard it clearly that time, as did everyone else. He looked down at Happy, sure it came from him.

"What is it buddy?" Natsu asked. Happy just stared up at him with big, dark feline eyes.

_Meow_. There it was again, but it definitely wasn't Happy.

"Look, there!" someone cried. A little farther in the shipwreck, there was a white cat perched on what looked like a fragment of the ship's helm. It meowed and whinnied pitifully, soaked to the bone next to…the body of a little girl. The girl's body lay on top of a white sheet of cloth, marked with a cat insignia and the telltale skull and bones.

A pirate's ship? What was a little girl doing this far out at sea with pirates? As they sailed closer, all anyone could do was stare at the little girl's body, lamenting such an innocent death. Mirajane started to tear up, clutching her brother's hand. Some took off bandanas, touching them to their hearts in mourning. But suddenly, the little girl's head tilted to the side. The cat licked the child's cheek and she tilted her head again, her eyes scrunching up some. The little girl was alive! Unconscious, but she hadn't been killed in the shipwreck like the others.

"She's alive!"

"Thank God!"

"Someone help her!" Mira yelled smiling sadly, wiping tears off her face.

"I got it!" Gray responded. Already stripped to his shorts, he climbed on the railing, and made a perfect dive into the ocean, avoiding drift wood.

"Lower anchor!" Erza belted. After the anchor was in the water, a couple of people grabbed rope so Gray could be hauled back on the ship. He swam over to the girl and checked her first. He put his head to her chest to hear her heart beat. It was slow but steady and she was breathing, but in urgent, rasping breaths. He shook her gently to see if it would rouse her, but she stayed unconscious, her long dark blue hair plastered to her wet, pale skin. Gray carefully placed the girl on his back and the white cat on his head and swam back to the Floating Mavis.

"Gray! You got her?" Erza asked leaning over the ship's side.

"Yeah! I'll send her up first!" Natsu held onto the rope and swung over the railing. He climbed down it, keeping steady with his feet on the side of the ship. Gray managed to hoist the girl up to Natsu with one arm, and Natsu passed her up to Elfman above. Gray then took the cat off his head, cradling it in the crook of his arm and slowly climbed up the rope and back on deck. Mira handed him a dry towel. He sat on a barrel, breathing heavily, wiping off his soaked skin.

"She…ok?" Gray huffed.

"I'm not sure. She's breathing but that's far from a confirmation that she isn't otherwise injured." Makarov replied. He turned toward Elfman. "Take her down below and get her cot. Mira, she needs to be looked at immediately." Mira and Elfman started walking quickly aft to the stairs at the stern leading to the deck below the ship, but suddenly the little girl's mouth parted and she moaned.

"…storm…" she whispered. Everyone's eyes went to her, her long indigo locks hanging over Elfman's arms. She was a very adorable child, definite to be beautiful in years, but her face was pale, twisted into mild horror, discomfort, worry. Her small forehead was beading with sweat. A scar bled lightly on her cheek.

"…wind…" she groaned a little louder.

"Hurry, get her checked out." Makarov instructed nervously of Mira and Elfman. They exchanged a glance and half walked, half ran down below.

"What should we do, Captain?" Erza muttered. She cast her glance over the side of the ship, back to the glistening blue water stained, in such a violent array, with the blood of pirates.

"Should we try and look for other survivors?" she asked.

"And what should we do with this cat?" asked Natsu holding up the white feline, which had been thoughtfully wrapped in a towel.

"Do you REALLY think that's a priority?" asked Gajeel nearby, the irritation expressed clearly on his face.

"…Tsk. Idiot." Gray murmured, the towel placed on his head atop ruffled black hair.

"Well, she's a survivor, ain't she?" Natsu shouted in reply. Happy rubbed up against Natsu's leg, meowing in agreement. He seemed to be glad to have another cat on board, especially such a pretty one.

"Like I said, flame brain, it's NOT a PRIORITY." Gajeel growled.

"Boys!" Makarov belted. His face was red, a vain beginning to show on his temple. "Your own people! Pirates, just like you have fallen and you stand here SQUABBLING like CHILDREN!"

Natsu and Gajeel saw the disappointment in their captain's eyes. They bowed their heads, giving timid apologies for their actions.

"Captain," Erza began. "Again, what shou-,"

"Search for survivors." Makarov answered. "Indeed that's what must be done."

* * *

><p>The Fairies scanned the wreckage for 3 hours. Their count of survivors was still only two: one cat and one child. Makarov gave the order to move on. There was nothing else they could do for these fellow pirates. The crew lined the port and starboard railings, staring out at the vast blue and the horizon darkening. These pirates had given their lives for adventure, but seeing the true unbiased cruelty of the sea dampened their souls. The wind was stronger now as the sun set, spraying mist on the Fairies dim faces. Once could swear they saw the salted spirits of the fallen crew's brothers and sisters being swept to the sky, accompanied by Fairy Tail's melancholy prayers.<p>

After voyaging out of the wreckage, The Floating Mavis went onward following its original course around the Fiore mainland. The sun had set fully now, the sky casting a black and blue hue on the ocean, reflecting the emerging moon and stars. Most of the crew was below deck in the dining quarters. Warm bright light shown from the dining room door but the clinking of glasses and mugs and cheerful drunken happiness usually heard round the ship at this time of night was strangled. Everyone was thinking about the wreckage seen earlier, the mere thought of the blood stained driftwood looming over them like a plague. They all made quiet, melancholy conversation, passing around food and drink. Even Gray and Natsu were in too much of a depressed mood to fight over the last of Mira's beef stew.

Erza stood above on the outside upper deck keeping lookout for any land. The deep blue-black of night only made her bright scarlet hair shine brighter, though her face gleaned darkness. The image of the young girl kept playing in her mind. The sight of the child disturbed her deeply.

'What was that child doing on a pirates' ship?' she questioned herself over and over again. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't understand. Then she was reminded of years gone by, selectively crushed to the back of her mind.

…Tear-stained faces, bare feet, ripped clothes, dark corners, chained ankles, wrists rubbed raw, steel cages…

She shook her head violently as to knock her thoughts back in place. She felt moisture in her eyes that she wasn't before aware of.

"This isn't the time." She muttered to herself, slightly slapping her cheeks. The wind blew on her face, spraying ocean mist. She calmed down as if the sea had cleansed her thoughts. But still, seeing the young one lying listless in the ocean, desolate made her feel something she hadn't in a while. Erza had wanted to check on her, even if just to see her again, but was hesitant for some reason. As she stared out over the water she wondered, 'What are you so afraid of?'

Warren and Max, some of the crew hands, were down below on deck adjusting the sails to the wind.

"Warren!" Erza called down to him.

"Yeah?"

"I need to go take care of something. Come up here and lookout for me until I get back." She said walked down the stairs to the main deck.

"Sure thing." He replied kindly, taking the map that she held out of her hand. She walked aft to the steps leading below when she head urgent footsteps coming from that direction. It was Elfman, and he was walking so quickly that he almost barreled into her.

"Elfman, what's-," Erza began, slightly worried at his urgency.

"The girl. She's awake."

* * *

><p>Elfman and Erza ran down below deck. Erza had told Elfman he could be excused to dinner; he had done enough work for the night. As he left her alone, Erza began moving towards the quarters. Elfman and Mira had taken the girl to Erza and Mira's room. Erza walked urgently towards the door left slightly ajar, the crack shining a sliver of light on the wall. When she reached the door, she hesitated, hearing Mira trying to soothe the child with her sing-song voice on the other side. She waited to see if the girl spoke back, but she didn't. She pushed the door in gently and saw the girl sitting up on the extra cot in the corner of the room with her cat on her lap. Mira sat on a stool next to the cot, holding a bowl of soup for the child to eat. The girl was adorable as thought, but now she looked healthier, the color back in her skin, indigo hair falling down her shoulders and all her injuries patched up.<p>

When Erza walked in, the girl's large brown eyes met hers. She hesitated a little, not wanting to startle her, but she continued walking to the cot.

"Is it ok if I sit down?" Erza asked politely of the girl when she reached the cot. She simply nodded in reply. Erza gave her a gratuitous smile in return.

"How are you feeling?" Erza asked. The girl looked down at her hands, silently petting her cat. Erza pursed her lips a little.

"…Ok. Let me apologize, I suppose I didn't even introduce myself. My name is Erza." Erza said stretching out a hand to the child. Surprisingly enough, the child took her hand, giving a meek little shake and quickly withdrawing it. Erza smiled a little on the inside. She remembered when she used to be just as shy.

"You really should eat. Keep up your strength, ya know?" Erza said taking the bowl from Mira. The girl looked between the both of them with wondering eyes, then from Erza to the bowl and back again. It was clear she was trying to decide whether to trust them or not. Erza smiled at her, understanding. She took the spoon and ate some of the soup, a smug grin on her face.

"All right, if you don't want it, I'll eat it. We don't waste food on this ship." Erza said with a mouth full of food. The little girl's eyes widened. She immediately reached for the bowl of soup, ladling spoonfuls of it into her small mouth. Erza and Mira exchanged an amused glance. Mira patted the girl on the leg, getting her attention.

"You'll get hiccups eating that fast. It's ok, there's plenty more." Mira assured her. The girl looked down at the bowl, already ¾ empty. She seemed slightly ashamed of herself for eating so voraciously.

"I'm…sorry," the girl whispered. Mira and erza just stared at her, surprised that she had spoken.

"It's…it's ok, sweetie," Mira replied. The girl turned and looked toward Erza.

"Did…did you say…that we're on a ship?" she asked.

"Uhm…ye-yes. A pirate ship to be exact." The girl shuddered slightly, her hands gripping the blanket at her sides. Erza looked at the girl with concern. She obviously had some things she would want to forget. The two mates exchanged another look.

"You should rest. We can talk more tomorrow." Mira resolved. The girl looked at them both.

"…Thank you," she said timidly, her nose turning pink. The girl handed the bowl to Erza who, along with Mira, began to leave the room when all of a sudden, they felt vibrations under their feet remnant of an earthquake.

The door to the room burst open, Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, Elfman and all the other crew members struggling to get through the door. Elfman had apparently told his crewmates of the child's awakening. The girl's eyes were filled with horror. Clutching her cat, she shrunk down in her blanket.

'Who are all these people?' she thought.

"What do you think YOU'RE DOING?!" Erza screamed angrily. By now most of them had overrun her, surrounding the girl's cot, pushing each other, and attempting to introduce themselves. Mira and Erza tried their best to get the child but they were taking on a mob. The girl looked on the verge of tears as the din of voices got louder and more insistent. Out of nowhere, Happy emerged from between ankles in the crowd and jumped up on the girl's cot, nosing around the white cat. Natsu pushed his way through and grabbed Happy quickly, startling the girl even more.

"Happy, don't be so rude," Natsu admonished his friend. He glanced down at her and flashing a large, friendly grin. "Nice cat you got there. I think Hap here's got a crush on her." The young girl looked around at all the pirates' faces. They had calmed down some, now waving and smiling back at her. She looked back up to Natsu and then down to his blue cat.

'Happy? That's a cute name for a cat.' She thought.

"Her name's Carla" she said timidly. Natsu's face brightened instantly. He plopped down on the side of the girl's cot, with Happy in his lap.

"That's a cool name for a cat!" He exclaimed. Natsu wiped a grease stained hand on the side of his pants and held it out to the girl.

"Heya, my name's Natsu. What yours?" The girl looked down at his hand. She took it in hers, her hand being so small in comparison. Natsu clutched it warmly and shook firmly. The girl smiled a small, sweet smile.

"Wendy…Wendy Marvell."


	4. Chapter 4

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 4

Welcome to the Club

"Wendy Marvell, huh?" Natsu asked slowly. Wendy nodded at him.

"Of the Cait Shelter Pirates." A voice suddenly said. Everyone was standing in a semicircle around Wendy's bed when they all turned in masse to see their elderly captain standing there. He was staring intently at Wendy, which made her clutch Carla a little tighter.

"I see no one bothered to inform the captain that our young guest had awoken?" Makarov stated.

"Captain?" Erza piped up, moving through the crowd until she got close to him. "How did you know-,"

"That's a matter best explained later." Makarov interjected, walking with his hands behind his back through the crowd, which had cleared a path for him. He stopped at the end of Wendy's bed, extending a small elderly hand, blue veins weaving underneath his skin. Wendy returned his grasp.

"I'm Captain Makarov and we-," he said, beckoning toward the crew, "-are the Fairy Tail Pirates. It's very nice to meet you, Miss Marvell."

"Fairy Tail…," Wendy whispered quietly, mostly mouthing it.

"That's right. How are you feeling?" Makarov inquired.

"Oh. A lot better. Thank you…for rescuing me I mean…," Wendy replied, giving a warm, grateful smile.

"Of course."

"We've given her some food and she's slept some, but I really think Wendy needs more rest, Captain." Mira said, stepping forward with a look of concern on her face.

"You're probably right, Mira, but…," he started, turning toward Wendy, "I wanted to ask Wendy a few things, if she's ok with that?"

"Oh…um," she muttered timidly, nodding in agreement.

"Thank you." He smiled, "I'll be as brief as I can. In the meantime…" Makarov began, turning towards his crew who stood at full attention under their captain's gaze.

"…The rest of you go back to the dining hall while I talk to Miss Marvell. Except Erza and Mira. You two stay here as well." The rest of the crew began grumbling and complaining.

"You heard the captain, back to the dining hall, fellas! " Gray shouted over the crowd. The men began filing out of the room, pushing and shoving each other, waving and yelling goodbyes to Wendy as they tried to fit through the small wooden door. Wendy found the sight amusing, the way they picked on one another, laughing and fighting…sort of like a family. A warm smile played on her lips. Makarov smirked when he saw her expression.

"They're all a bunch of whiny children…but they are my children." He said, a look of pride in his eyes.

* * *

><p>Once all of them had gone, Makarov turned toward Wendy.<p>

"Now, Miss Marvell. I'm sorry to have to take up your time, but there are some things that need to be asked."

"Mhm." She nodded. "It's fine."

"Well-,"

"Uhm, Captain?" Erza interjected. "I apologize but I'm still a little confused about something. You said something about Cait Shelter. The Cait Shelter Pirates and Wendy being one of them. How exactly did you know that?"

"Ah. Well, I had recognized that flag before. The one with the cat on it, but I couldn't recall the name associated with it. However, when hearing this young lady's name, I instantly knew…"

"But how?" Erza repeated.

"Wendy Marvell of the Cait Shelter pirates. This young woman has an extraordinary 6th sense. A remarkable connection with the sky and with weather; to be able to tell what it's doing. They call her the Sky Maiden."

The girls turned their attention toward Wendy who suddenly seemed very preoccupied with the tips of her hair, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"That's so cool!" a voice suddenly said. Erza, Mira, Makarov, and Wendy's heads snapped to the other side of the room, toward Mira's bed. There was a large lump under the blankets, pink hair poking out at the top. Erza marched over to Mira's bed and latched onto the peachy locks, pulling them with great force, revealing a hiding Natsu.

"Gahh! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, STOOOPPPPPP!" he screeched. "Geez! You're gonna rip my hair right out of my skull!" he said, a tear running down his face. Erza dropped him face first on the wooden floor with a big THUD.

"Owww.."Natsu groaned.

"You little brat! I SHOULD have ripped your spine right out of your-,"

"Oi Wendy!" Natsu began, jumping up, an excited look on his face. "So you have like superpowers or something?"

"Hey! I was talking to you!" Erza yelled, a vein branching down her forehead.

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu replied, waving a dismissive hand at Erza, his attention focused on Wendy.

"Well…It's not a superpower." She replied shyly, her nose turning pink.

"Then-,"

"Natsu." Makarov interrupted, a grave, blank look on his face. "I thought I told you to return to the dining hall."

"But Gramps! I wanted to stay and talk to Wendy some more, ya know?"

"Natsu, you'll be able to talk with her some other time, but not now. I need to ask her some things and then she needs her rest."

"Then how come Mira and Erza get to stay, huh?"

"Natsu." Erza sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Can't you just follow the Captain's orders for once in your life?"

"I don't mind." Wendy chimed in softly. Makarov looked toward her, then from her to Natsu, debating the issue in his mind. He sighed.

"If it's alright with Miss Marvell, then I suppose it's-,"

"Yess!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Just try and keep quiet, Natsu." Makarov admonished. He took a seat on the edge of her cot. "When we first found you, you unconsciously mentioned a storm or wind."

"I did?"  
>"Yes. Do you…perhaps remember what that meant?"<p>

"Oh…" Wendy thought, her brow furrowing pensively. "It was…the change in the wind and the clouds, just…the smell of the air…that day."

Mira and Erza looked at one another with concern. Wendy was stroking Carla thoughtlessly in her lap, her eyes distant.

"I could…just tell that a storm was coming. I told my captain and we started to prepare for it. Doing everything that needed to be done but it wasn't even 5 minutes before it came in. I've never seen one close in so fast…It was too late by then. The ship…" suddenly she gasped. Looking up at Makarov, her dark brown eyes, large, her face flushed white. "My…crew." She said quietly, a tear forming in her eye. Mira walked quickly over to Wendy, putting her arm around her. Makarov's glance shifted to Natsu whose eyes were filled with a mix of sadness and anger.

"Natsu," Makarov started. Natsu turned toward his captain. "I think maybe you should leave." Natsu simply replied with a slow nod, then stood up and started walking towards the door. He stopped before walking past Erza, her face contoured by a look of pain that seemed to reach her heart. Natsu squeezed her shoulder gently. She replied with a steady look that said "thank you" as Natsu removed his hand then left the room.

Natsu was walking slowly and thoughtfully back to the dining hall, his hands in his pockets. As he neared it, the smell of Mira's cooking and the sound of all his friends laughing seeped into the hallway. Seeing that the girl they saved form the wreck was finally awake and that she was ok had definitely lightened their spirits. Natsu began to feel better too, but seeing Wendy's expression, the horror on her face as she remembered what happened to her crew, her friends, made him sad, and for some reason, ignited a feeling of rage. He had reached the doors to the dining hall, his fingers just beginning to wrap around the handles when he stopped.

"Aww, man." He said slapping his forehead, his hand on his hip. "I forgot Happy! Stupid!"

Natsu jogged his way back down the hallway to Erza and Mira's room. Once he got close enough to hear their voice he slowed down to a walk. He heard them talking to Wendy who sounded calmer than when he left.

'That's good.' Natsu thought.

"-from Cait Shelter?" he heard Makarov asked.

"No…" Wendy responded. "My mother…she…disappeared years ago along with some of her friends." At the mention of Wendy's words, Natsu stopped dead in his tracks.

'Disappeared?' he thought. 'She couldn't be…'

"Some Cait Shelter pirates found me in the woods. I was really sick, apparently." Wendy looked down at her hands, a sad smile on her face. "They…took really good care of me."

Natsu moved closer to the door, the tip of his boots caught in the line of light coming out of the room.

"Do…do you know possibly what might've happened to…your mother?" Makarov continued. Wendy shook her head.

"Nuh uh. She left on her ship that morning, but…she didn't come back."

"Wait, wait. Wendy," Erza said holding a hand up. "Your mother. Was she…a pirate?"

"No…" Natsu whispered, holding his breath.

"Yes," Wendy replied, "Her name was Grandine,"

"No way…" Natsu breathed, mouth parted.

"She was a member of the Dragon's Claw Pirates."

Natsu backed away from the door, eyes wide. Then, without listening to anymore of the conversation, he turned around and ran down the hallway.

* * *

><p>Natsu stood outside the dining hall doors leaning on the wall as his crewmates filed out, making their way to the sleeping quarters or their duties on deck. Some waved at him or talked trash or tried to strike up a conversation, but his focus was elsewhere. He stood there waiting until he saw Gajeel walk out, scratching his head and yawning, walking to the stairs the go up on deck. Natsu jogged after him until he was a few feet away.<p>

Gajeel was strolling leisurely, mouth wide, mid-yawn, hands in his pockets when all of a sudden…

"Gahh! Hey, hey, hey!" Gajeel yelled as Natsu pulled him backwards by his long hair.

"You're coming with me." Natsu said, continuing back down the hallway. Gajeel twisted around, grabbing a hold of Natsu's wrist and pushing him off.

"WHAT is your PROBLEM?!" Gajeel roared, pinning Natsu to the wall. Natsu held up his hands in defense.

"Stop freaking out, I just need you to-,"

"FREAKING OUT!? You just come up behind me and pull me BY MY HAIR down the hallway?! You-,"

"Gajeel." Natsu interjected, his eyes dark, serious. Gajeel let go of him and backed away, pacing with his hands on his hops, breathing through flared nostrils, all the while glaring at Natsu. Natsu watched him pacing. He quirked his eyebrows at Gajeel, as if to say 'Done?' Gajeel stopped mid-pace and stared at Natsu while tapping his foot. He breathed in a deep breathe through his nose and then out, along with his anger.

"…WHAT do you want, Dragneel." Gajeel finally managed to say. Natsu's green eyes lit up as he steeped toward Gajeel.

"Follow me." Natsu said with a wide grin. Before Gajeel could respond, Natsu turned and began walking quickly down the hallway. Gajeel stood there confused for a second .

"…O-Oi, Dragneel!" He yelled, jogging to catch up with him. "Mind tellin' me where were goin' first?" He said as he reached Natsu trying to keep his pace.

"Wendy's room."

"The girl we rescued?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Natsu stopped in his tracks, causing Gajeel to almost run into the back of him.

"Hey!" Gajeel yelled. "Wha-,"

"Wendy's one of us, Gajeel."

"A pirate? Yeah, the old man already-,"

Natsu stared back at Gajeel intensely. Gajeel's face fell blank. 'He doesn't mean…?' He thought.

Natsu nodded, as if reading his mind. He turned around and started walking again. Gajeel followed from behind.

"Yep! Her mom was one of them. A Dragon's Claw Pirate and she disappeared just like the rest of 'em. Just like our dads."

"How do you know that?"

"I heard her say it to Gramps."

"So you were spying?"

"No, I was-,"

"Yeah, spying. Anyway, so what? What are we gonna do? Just barge into the kid's room and start askin' her a bunch of questions about our Metalicana and Igneel? I doubt she knows any more than we do."

"That's exactly what we're gonna do."

Gajeel was stunned silent for a second as they walked. 'Is he serious?'

"Oi, Flamebrain! I don't think this is such a good idea." Gajeel shouted from behind. Natsu smiled, turning his head around.

"What? Don't tell me the great Black Steel is afraid of little girls?"

"Don't get it twisted, fire freak. Besides…it's usually the other way around is the problem…," Gajeel said, looking away from Natsu.

Natsu stopped and Gajeel stopped too. They looked at each other, then Natsu smirked.

"Don't worry. She's just like us remember?" He started walking, slowly this time, with his hands in his pockets. "Besides," he began, turning and continuing down the hallway backwards, facing Gajeel. "This girl's brave, I can tell. Ugly people won't scare her that easily." He laughed.

Gajeel caught up to him, putting a strong arm around his neck, squeezing.

"Gihihi. Then I ain't got nothin' to worry about. She seemed to like you enough." He said with a big grin.

"I'm not ugly!" Natsu choked out. Gajeel pushed him forward.

"Gihi. Yeah, Whatever."

They walked in silence until they got to the corner that led to the hallway to the sleeping quarters. As they kept walking, the way became darker, the torches hanging on the walls blown out as not to disturb those sleeping. Natsu looked around the corner to see if anyone was there.

"All clear." He whispered back to Gajeel who nodded in reply. They rounded the corner, walking quietly. When they got to Wendy's door, Natsu pressed his eye to the open crack. He saw Wendy sitting on her cot, petting Carla and Happy.

"Some best friend…" he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"She alone?"

"Yeah, well no. Happy and Carla are in there."

Gajeel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'cause the cats count."

"They do!" He whispered insistently.

"They do what?" a voice came from behind Gajeel. They both jumped, turning around to see Mira, white hair and blue eyes almost glowing in the dark.

"Mira!" Natsu laughed nervously. She raised one eyebrow.

"Oh. Uh, we were just…" Gajeel began.

"Yeah! I left Hap in Wendy's room so…"Natsu added. Mira smiled.

"That's why you brought Gajeel with you?" she said knowingly. Gajeel and Natsu exchanged a glance.

"Umm." They said simultaneously. Mira sighed, walking past them.

"Come on." She said, opening the door for them. "But, make it quick. Erza's on duty but she'll be back to check up on Wendy. She's going to be mad if she finds you here."

Gajeel and Natsu nodded back, following Mira into the room.

"Wendy, you have some guests, if that's alright." Wendy looked up to see Natsu and Gajeel at the door.

"Oh, um. Hi, Natsu," she said quietly. Natsu walked towards her while Gajeel stayed a little behind.

"Wendy, can we talk?"

"Oh, uh…what about?" She said setting Carla on the floor.

"Your mom." Natsu blurted matter- of -factly. Wendy went stiff. She looked from Natsu to Gajeel, then back again.

"Dragneel." Gajeel hissed. "Could you be any blunter?"

"My…my mom?" Wendy asked, her brows furrowed. Gajeel rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I know it sucks of me to ask you something like his, but your mom…she was a Dragon's Claw Pirate, wasn't she?"

Wendy sat with her mouth parted. "How'd you know that?"

Gajeel sighed. "Guess you were telling the truth, Natsu." He walked forward to stand next to him. Natsu looked away, slightly irritated.

"Duh. I'm not a liar…"

"Well…" Gajeel said putting his hand on Natsu shoulder and turning his gaze to Wendy. "Welcome to the club."


	5. Chapter 5

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 5

The Black Cloud

"…The club?" Wendy asked confused but maybe a little interested. Natsu's eyes grw bright again, a smile spreading on his face. He grabbed a chair from Erza's desk and sat down on it with the back facing forward. Gajeel leaned against the wall.

"My, our," Natsu added looking over to Gajeel, "our parents are Dragon's Claw Pirates, too."

"Your parents?" Wendy asked looking back and forth between the two of them. " You and…"

"Gajeel." Natsu answered.

"Gajeel Redfox." Gajeel elaborated a little quietly.

"Oh. Nice to meet you." Wendy answered shyly. Gajeel replied with a small grunt and a nod in her direction.

"So…You and Gajeel's parents are in the same crew as my mom?"

Natsu and Gajeel nodded simultaneously.

"So…they're…gone, too?"

They nodded solemnly.

"Oh…" she said looking down. "Natsu how'd you know about my mom?"

"Hmm?" he asked clutching his chin in thought. "I just had a feeling you were like us."

"Yeah right!" Gajeel interrupted, hitting Natsu on the head.

"Jerk." Natsu spat through his teeth. "Uh, well," he continued rubbing his head. "Actually… I kinda heard you tellin' Gramps, hehe."

"What are your parents' names?" Wendy asked, thoughtlessly playing with the tips of her hair.

"Hmm?" Natsu asked. Wendy looked up at them.

"Your parents?"

"My dad. His name is Igneel." Natsu said proudly.

"Metalicana. That's my old man." Gajeel replied a little longingly.

"And your mom, Wendy," Natsu began, "She's Grandine, right?"

"Oh. Mhm. She's the navigator for the Dragon's Claws." A sad smile spread to her eyes. "She's really good at understanding the weather based on what her senses tell her and she taught me how to do it."

"Ohh! That's where you get your superpowers from, huh?" Natsu asked.

"Eh? Superpowers?" Gajeel asked, quirking his pierced eyebrow.

"No, no, i-it's not a superpower, it's just a, uh, sense, sort of." Wendy laughed nervously.

"Oh. I get it."

"Yeah, " Natsu added. "She's like an astrologist."

"You mean meteorologist…idiot." Gajeel said, rolling his eyes.

"Right. A meatosogist."

"Not even close."

"My dad taught me cool stuff too, Wendy," Natsu said moving his chair closer to Wendy's cot.

"Like what?" she said, a curious look on her face. A mischievous grin played on his lips.

"Hehe. He taught me how to breathe fire!"

Wendy's eyes lit up and her mouth dropped. "What?!"

"Mhm." Natsu nodded.

"No, no, no," Gajeel interrupted, shaking his head. "He doesn't BREATHE fire. He EATS it. Like a circus freak."

"I'M a circus freak? You're the one who eats spoons and knives."

"I-I don't EAT knives!…I just like the taste of metal is all…" Gajeel argued, growing a little red. Natsu turned towards Wendy, pointing over his shoulder towards Gajeel.

"Don't listen to him, Wendy. He's just jealous 'cause we have cooler powers than he does."

"Jealous? None of us even HAS powers, stupid."

"Ok, fine. Special skills."

"Oh, please." Gajeel snorted. "At least Wendy's mom taught her something useful. Our dad's just taught us how to eat stuff we're not supposed to."

"Whatever."

"Um," Wendy interrupted their bantering. "So…well…your dads haven't…" Natsu hesitated before answering.

"Nuhuh." He replied looking at his hands. "We actually came here to ask you the same thing."

"But I'm guessing we're all in the same boat." Gajeel interjected, looking from Wendy to Natsu. They nodded silently. They all stayed quiet for a couple of seconds before there was a knock on the door. Mira peeked her head in.

"Gajeel, Erza's looking for you."

"Crap! I was supposed to be on duty. She's gonna be so pissed."

"Haha!" Natsu snickered. "Good job, genius."

"SHUT UP!" he yelled back.

"Uh, bye, Gajeel." Wendy said sweetly. Gajeel hesitated before replying with and awkward nod and then leaving the room as Mira closed the door behind her. Natsu grinned turning back to Wendy.

"He's kind of a big idiot."

"Gajeel?"

"Yep. A little rough around the edges, but he's part of the family like everyone here."

"You seem like you've known each other a long time. The way you fight and stuff."

"Huh? Oh well, it's only been a couple months. Actually, when we first met, he tried to kill me."

"Kill…you?"

"Mhm. He used to be this big time pirate bounty hunter."

"A bounty hunter…"

"Yep."

Wendy considered it for a moment. An unsure look spread across her face. Natsu looked at her confused before he raised his eyebrows and smirked evilly.

"Hey, Wendy. You're not scared, are ya?"

She looked up quickly. "Huh? N-No, I just, um…"

Natsu laughed softly.

"You shouldn't be. Really. Gajeel yells all the time and he's kinda hard to look at. But," he hesitated, thinking about his words. "He's pretty cool to have around. Before I met him, I hadn't met anyone else like me, ya know?"

Wendy looked Natsu straight in the eye and smiled.

"Yeah. I do."

At that moment, a loud clap of thunder boomed, shaking the ship. Natsu got up and looked out of the small round window over Wendy's cot.

"What the-,"

"Natsu!" Mira yelled opening the door. "You need to go help on deck! There's a big storm coming! It came out of nowhere!"

"What?" Wendy asked, going rigid.

"Wendy, what's wrong?" Natsu asked, looking down at her with concern, his brows furrowed.

"Natsu! You need to go help, it's closing in fast." Mira repeated.

"No, no, no." Wendy shook her head. "It's just like the last one."

"What?" Natsu asked.

"Natsu! Go!" Mira yelled. "I'll be here with Wendy."

Natsu nodded before putting his hand on Wendy's head. She looked up at him, her eyes wet.

"Don't worry, ok."

She nodded slowly before he ran out of the cabin and down the hall.

* * *

><p>Natsu ran up the stairs onto deck. As soon as he stepped on, he slipped and fell, water splashing all over, the wind throwing around buckets and crewmates. He hoisted himself up, looking over the deck out to sea. The water was almost calm near the boat, but on the horizon, a black cloud was rolling, almost spiraling forward faster than a train. Lightning burst from it in bright rods as if being thrown by an angry God.<p>

"Whoa." Is all Natsu could say.

"Hey!" A voice came from behind him. He barely heard it over the wind. He turned and saw Gray pushing his way against the wind towards Natsu.

"Hey, Natsu! We could use a hand on closing the sails!"

"Yeah. Sure thing! But I need to talk to Gramps!"

"What?! Now!?"

"Yeah! I need to tell him someth-,"

A big splash of water came over the side of the ship, knocking Natsu and Gray on their butts. The ship was rocking back and forth now, making it even more difficult for the crew to prepare for the storm. Natsu and Gray half walked, half crawled across the deck, sputtering from all the water. Elfman and Gajeel stood struggling with ropes for the sails. Gray left Natsu to help them, while Natsu continued making his way to the steps leading to the upper deck. Erza and Makarov stood there yelling orders down below and trying to keep their balance. When they saw Natsu struggling against the wind to climb the stairs, they stopped what they were doing.

"Natsu, son! What're you doing up here?!" Makarov yelled over the wind, his damp moustache sticking to this face.

"Something's wrong!" He hollered back.

"Wanna be more specific?!" Erza asked.

"This storm! It's moving in way too fast! Wendy said 'it's just like the last one'!" Makarov and Erza looked at each other with a grave expression.

"We should've realized it sooner!" Makarov said.

"Captain! If this storm is like the other, there's nothing we can do! We need to take cover!" Erza said. At that moment, the sea around the ship began to swirl. The wind whipped the drops of water around so fast, they cut the surface of people's skin. The black clod seemed to be the only thing in sight. The sound of this crew's frantic yells came from below. Makarov's eyes grew wide. He walked immediately to the rail of the upper deck.

"STOP! Stop what you're doing, children! We need to take cover! Get downsta-," The ship started spinning rapidly, water and wind swirling like a vortex. Makarov and Erza held onto the side of the rail, while Natsu clung to the bars on the side of the stairs, his legs beginning the lift into the air. Natsu managed to crane his neck around to the deck below. The sails were ripped off, along with one of the masts. Some of the crew were tied to the other mast with rope, holding onto rails and handles. However, some didn't have anything to hold onto. All Natsu could do was watch helplessly as a few of his crewmates flew off the deck, disappearing in the wall of black cloud. He tightened his hold on the bars, gritting his teeth. He snapped out of it when he got a sharp blow to the neck.

"Gah!" he croaked. He turned forward to see what had happened. Makarov was still on his knees, clinging to the rails on the upper deck, but Erza had flown over the side, hanging parallel to Natsu, struggling to keep her grip with her legs flailing in the air.

"Erza! Hold on! Please!" Natsu screamed. She looked at Natsu with wide eyes as her fingers on her right hand slipped slowly from the bars. Natsu let one arm go as well, using all his strength to reach for her, but before he could make it, Erza's hand lost its grip. In less than the time it took to blink, she was sucked into the spiraling vortex, her red hair the only thing visible in the black cloud. Natsu saw her spin with the cloud like a lost red feather in the wind. Then she was gone.

"ERZA!" Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs, though his cry was stolen by the vacuum like suction of the air. A giant crack shot its way like lightning up the center of the ship. The two halves began to pull away from each other, showing everything inside the ship like a split diagram. Natsu billowed like a flag over the huge crack. He stared down, wide-eyed at it, parted so that the thick black sea showed. Natsu felt as if he were flying over a bottomless chasm. His crewmates began to fall into the crack, or continued to be sucked into the vortex. The wetness in Natsu's eyes blended with the spraying water cutting in his face.

Boards and planks began to peel from the ship's deck like tree bark, flying in all directions at high speed. Natsu hunched closer to the rail trying not to get hit. He dodged one that flew straight over his head, but it hurled straight into Captain Makarov. Makarov received a blow to the head, a hard one that took away his balance. He lost grip of the handle but tried to hold on with the other hand. Natsu caught his leg and yelled "Hold on!" though neither could hear his words, but another plank spun its way toward Natsu and this time we couldn't dodge it. The corner caught him by the forehead with great force. He lost his grip and both Natsu and Makarov were pulled into the vortex of black cloud.

* * *

><p>Natsu blinked into consciousness surrounded by a pool of black.<p>

'Where am I?' he thought. He realized he wasn't sitting or standing but his body was light, drifting. The trickle of blood coming from his head floated away in the air.

"What…" In the distance he saw a flicker of red. A body. It was Erza.

"Erza!" he screamed. His words seemed to have bounced off a wall, echoing back and humming in his ears. He tried to swim towards her, but his legs and arms wouldn't move.

"Erza! Wake up! Please!" She didn't respond. Natsu struggled but it was no use. Erza's body continued to drift in the black. All he could do was the same.

* * *

><p>Natsu felt as if he'd been staring up at the nothingness for a long time. Seconds, minutes, hours, days even… After staring for a while, he saw that the blackness was some kind of mist. It swirled around his body beautifully, flashing hints of glittering silver light as it danced around. He had the urge to smile, though he knew he wasn't happy. His eyes became heavy though he wasn't sleepy. As he closed his eyes, the mist closing around him, cradling him. Before he slipped fully into unconsciousness, he heard someone whisper his name.<p>

"Natsssuuu…" It hissed sweetly. He parted his eyes slightly, seeing the silhouette of a man.

"I…Igneel?...Dad?..." Natsu whispered. The silhouette held Natsu warmly. It shimmered like the mist, its mouth parted in a small smile, though it had no eyes or nose.

"Ssssleeep ssonnn…"

"Where…have you-,"

"Naatsssuuu…sssleeepp."

Natsu tried to argue. He wanted badly to ask questions, but his body was heavy with fatigue. The shadow figure released his body and Natsu continued to drift. As he gave into sleep, the last thing he remembered was hearing the voice of a man, seething hatred, chanting.

_Follow the blackness, human…Like the sea you've filled with oil._

_Follow the blackness, human…follow the blackness of your soul…_


	6. Chapter 6

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 6

Dreams

There was a hallway. It seemed endless, only darkness waiting ahead: no doors, no windows, no light. She floated slowly down the hallway. She turned and looked back, but that end was as much a void as the other. She became disoriented; unsure of which was the way she came or the way she was going. Panic rose up in her chest, her blood ran cold and she began to swim as fast as she could down the hallway. As she swam, black mist began to seep in through the floorboards. It swirled with the water, making thick, black, inky clouds. Her eyes widened at the sight, and she swam faster, trying to avoid the mist but, as it enveloped her tail she lost momentum. She told her fins to move, but they didn't comply. The black drifted around the rest of her body and she felt like time itself had slowed down, like she was trapped in a vat of oil. Tears left her eyes, but the mist sucked them up, like sand on the beach. It caressed her skin, soothed her and she instantly felt calm. She opened her mouth and let out a content sigh but, she tasted blood. She started to scream, but hands covered her mouth and pulled at her hair, arms, tail. They were scratched and broken, splinters of wood and fragments of the same fabric, a flag, were torn and wrapped around their wrists. The shards of wood scratched her as well and she felt pain; not of the body but deep within her heart. And it hurt. She cried loudly, gurgling thick red bubbles and thick black mist. She heard dozens of voices that all began screeching her name, desperately, angrily:

Juvia. Juvia! JUVIA!

"Juvia!"

Juvia woke with a start, her eyes wide as she gasped for air through her gills. Her deep blue curls settled down around her shoulders. As her vision became clear in consciousness, she looked up to see a mermaid with a slight figure clutching at her arm with her tousled aqua hair framing her worried face: her cousin Levy.

"…Levy…," Juvia whispered confusedly.

"Juvia…" Levy began, loosening her grip on Juvia's arm. "Are you ok? You were screaming in your sleep…You-You were crying too…" she said sadly. Juvia reached up and felt the crystalline residue of salted tears on her cheek. She brushed them off slowly and dropped her arm as if she were numb.

"…Juvia has had another dream…" her voice trailed off.

"Another one?" Levy asked. "Juvia, you had one yesterday and the day before. And-,"

"Yes, Juvia has…Levy, Juvia's dreams…" Juvia began, looking at her frightfully. "They are getting worse."

Juvia told Levy all about what she had witnessed in her slumber… The hallway, the splintered arms, the black mist…

"Juvia…That's…" Levy began, shutting her mouth, lacking the need to continue.

"Juvia agrees." She nodded in response.

"We should really tell Cana about it. She's good at understanding things like this. Maybe she can tell us what it means."

"No! Juvia can't…"

Levy furrowed her brows. "…Why not?"

"Juvia is…not sure she wants to know what it means…" Juvia lowered her head, seeming utterly desolate. Levy wrapped her arms around Juvia in a compassionate hug, smoothing down her hair.

"We don't have to…but…I really think Cana could help us." Levy said. Not hearing a response, Levy pulled back the see Juvia gazing at the other side of the room. On a seashell chest, a crystal-like silver dress hung from a hanger. It rippled slightly in the water, its scales flashing flecks of light on the sand floor.

"Cousin Levy!" Juvia inhaled, throwing back her covers and swimming over to the chest. She touched the dress lightly as if it were so fragile that sharp poke might crumble it to pieces.

"Is this…dress for Juvia?"

"Mhm." Levy replied smiling happily. "You said you only had an old one to wear to Lucy's banquet tonight, so I bought you a new one…it's not too flashy is it?"

"Oh no! Juvia loves the dress! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed holding the dress up to herself, twirling around like a little girl. Levy couldn't help but laugh inside. It always made her happy when Juvia smiled. She'd become a whole lot more confident and vibrant than she was before Levy found her and made her a part of her family; nothing like the runaway who would flinch at even the sound of a crab scuttling on the rocks.

Juvia set the dress gently on the bed and grabbed Levy in a strong bear hug.

"Oh Levy! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Haha, it's no p-problem Juvia! Ow, you're crushing me!..."

She let Levy go quickly. "Juvia is so sorry!"

"Geez…" Levy said, catching her breath. "You're really strong."

Juvia scratched the back of her head, laughing nervously when someone knocked on the door.

"Hey kiddies! It's me, Cana! Open up!"

"Huh?" Levy said, slightly confused. "I wonder why Cana's here…Door's open!"

Cana opened the door with a wide smile that instantly dropped. She was about Juvia's height with coppery scales and fins and light golden skin. She had seaweed sprouting from her hips down and from her upper stomach up, covering her chest. Her long brown hair was tied up in a bun and she was wearing starfish earrings and a gold necklace and bracelets. Cana looked Levy and Juvia up and down, slowly closing the door behind her.

"Your dad let me in, Levy…but…ok, I'm sorry but, why aren't you guys dressed yet?" Cana asked, sighing and crossing her arms. Juvia and Levy looked at each other.

"THE BRUNCH!" They screamed simultaneously, Juvia zooming over to her closet and Levy speeding out of the room.

"The brunch, indeed." Cana laughed, rolling her eyes. "Don't tell me little perfect Levy McGarden forgot her best friend's pre-banquet brunch?"

"Not helping!" Levy yelled from down the hall.

* * *

><p>"Does Juvia look alright?" she asked after a couple minutes. Cana looked up from a magazine to see Juvia ready to go. She had put on a set of pearls that matched the bracelet she always wore that were a gift from Levy and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.<p>

"You clean up really quick…I mean, man, you don't even have to do anything to your hair, and it's just perfect." Cana offered which made Juvia blush being as shy as she was. At that moment, Levy swam into the room wearing a matching clam shell necklace and earrings, her hair pulled back by one of the several headbands she owned.  
>"Looks like we're all ready," Cana smiled. "The carriage awaits, so let's get going."<p>

* * *

><p>The Kingdom of Magnolia was a majestic underwater empire, comprised of glistening buildings made of seashells, pearls, and slick marble stone. Thousands of merpeople bustled through the streets. Excitement settled over the city like a blanket. The royal city was more crowded than usual and merchants were taking great joy and advantage of the tourists who had come to see the passage of the royal carriages.<p>

A young prince from the Kingdom of Camellia was on his way to Magnolia as a suitor to the princess. One had been coming through the Kingdom almost every month now in an attempt for Princess Lucy's hand and rights to the throne. Though it seemed to happen regularly, the excitement of a new suitor never lost its appeal. Ironically enough, the citizens got the greatest delight out of the rejection of the suitors. Each prince, duke, or earl that Lucy turned away, made her subjects more prideful: It seemed no one was good enough for their princess.

At around noon when the sun was high above and shined beams down through the ocean water, a crystalline carriage was making its way to the King's Palace. Lucy looked out through the windows from the inside of it. Sitting across from her was Lucy's father, King Jude. He had a small notebook open on his lap that he was writing in. He skimmed the pages with critical brown eyes, his grayish blond hair slicked back under a thin gold crown. Lucy and her father went out early that morning in order to greet the prince at the city gates and were just now returning. The merpeople began to get closer to the street, pushing and shoving to get a good spot as the royal carriage passed by.

"Wow." Lucy said, her nose nearly touching the glass window as she smiled to herself. "They always get so excited when suitors come."

"Imagine how excited they'd be if you actually PICKED one…" her father mumbled behind his mustache.

The carriage continued down the market street and through the crowd. They threw flowers and whistled and cheered Lucy's name. On the back of the carriage, hanging onto a rail was a young merman, close to Lucy's age with blue hair scanning the crowd with observant eyes. He had a tattoo that took up the right side of his face, from the bottom of his eye, down his cheek and he wore a tear-drop shaped earring that associated him with the royal family.

As they pulled up to the palace gate, the young man let go of the rail and swam around to the doors of the carriage, first letting out the king then coming over to Lucy's side, holding out his hand to help her out.

"Thank you, Jellal." Lucy said with a smile.

"Milady." He replied with a nod.

The prince's carriage followed not too far behind. As he emerged from inside, the merpeople instantly began hooting and jeering. He was your everyday, average, handsome young prince. He flashed a smile and waved ceremoniously at the crowd, who responded in, what he thought was an encouraging way and then he followed Lucy and her father inside.

Jellal turned around and signaled a merman in a tower to lower the gate when, from around the corner, another carriage pulled up and stopped with a screech.

"Hold!" Jellal yelled to the tower guard. Cana, Levy, and Juvia spilled out of the doors, moving their fins with a fury through the gate and past Jellal.

"I thought I told you to NOT be late!" he called after them.

"Well, you know girls!" Cana yelled back. The girls passed through the front double doors of the palace and headed toward the dining hall. When they rounded the corner, they had to throw their tails forward in order to stop. They came to a halt at the end of a line of greeters just as Lucy came down the hall with the prince on her arm.

Lucy had blond hair a little past her shoulders and a bright smile that reflected in her brown eyes. Unlike most merpeople who sprouted natural veils of seaweed or algae, Lucy had small, thin, iridescent fans of coral covering her hips and chest. Her tail had a bluish tint and she was adorned with a necklace and earring of the same teardrop pearls that Jellal had, showing relation to the royal family. Atop her head was a plain but elegant tiara which she rarely wore.

Lucy went through the long line of people quickly, hugging, kissing, smiling, and directing into the dining hall. When Levy, Juvia and Cana made it to the head of the line, Lucy's smile became less obligated and more voluntary.

"Oh, Aspen, these are really good friends of mine." Lucy beamed, talking to the prince. "This is best friend Levy, her cousin Juvia, and my cousin Cana."

"Oh! Duchess Alberona's daughter!" Aspen said with surprise. "I've heard a lot about you, Lady Cana," he grinned.

"I see my reputation precedes me." Cana said with a cocky smile.

"Wow, and all the way in Camellia, too." Lucy said quirking her eyebrows.

"Well, it's lovely to meet such close friends of my Lucy." Aspen said, bowing at the waist and kissing the top of the girls's hands. Levy and Cana giggled, and Juvia's slightly blue skin almost turned pink.

"Well!" Lucy said clapping her hands together. "You guys are the last ones in, so let's get this brunch started!"

* * *

><p>Lucy stood in front of her mirror in her bedroom dressed in a purple gown that faded into black sequin as it reached the bottom and the same tiara and pearls she had been wearing that morning. Cana was behind her in a sleek black dress braiding Lucy's hair while she stared off in space, thinking.<p>

"-you think of him?" Cana asked, interrupting Lucy's thoughts.

"Hmm?" She asked, coming out of her daydreaming. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"Daydreaming about Prince Aspen?" Cana asked in a singsong voice.

Lucy snorted. "Hah. Hardly."

"Awww, you don't like him?" Cana said in mock confusion. "He's hot and he calls you 'his Lucy'"

"Yeah, whatever, but he's a little barracuda…makes my skin crawl." Lucy said with disgust. "He looks at me like I'm a sack of gold coins in a tiara."

"You mean he looks at woman with any money like that. So I've seen." Levy said coming into Lucy's room. She was shorter than her friends, shorter than most people. She wore a gold/orange dress that was simple and innocent but all the more elegant with tulle and gold trim. She had curled her hair in soft ringlets and wore a simple gold headband. Lucy swam away from Cana, her hair coming out of the unfinished braid, and grabbed Levy by the shoulders.

"Oh, Levy!" She exclaimed smiling from ear to ear. "You look like a princess!"

"Haha!" Levy laughed, blushing a little. "I guess coming from a real princess, it must be true."

Lucy let go of Levy who turned around and looked behind her into the hallway.

"Hmm…Juvia, where are you?"

"Juvia is still outside…" Juvia said meekly, hidden by the shadows of the hallway.

"Well come in here!" Cana yelled happily. "Don't be shy, we're just your friends."

Slowly, Juvia drifted into the room, her arms behind her back and her head looking down. She wore the silver dress that Levy bought her, her pearls, and her hair was done exactly like Levy.

"Juvia…" Cana and Lucy gasped at the same time. She looked up, trying to read their expression.

"I-Is it too much? Oh! Juvia shouldn't have even come!" She said her eyes starting to tear up.

"No! No, Juvia!" Cana and Lucy yelled patting her on the shoulder and back, complimenting her until she accepted that they were telling the truth.

"You look BEA-utiful, Juvia my love." Cana said in a fancy accent, cupping Juvia's cheek which made her laugh. "But, uh…" Cana said backing away from Juvia and Levy. "What's with the matching hairdos?" she asked snickering.

"Juvia thought her hair looked bad, so I did mine like her to prove that I love it." Levy said scratching her neck.

"Aww, that's cute." Lucy said. "You're like twins."

Juvia beamed proudly which was enough to make the rest of them smile and laugh. They sat in Lucy's room, talking until there was a knock on the door from Jellal.

"Milady," he said opening the door. "The banquet is soon to begin. You all look lovely." He said bowing.

"Oh, someone's being such a gentleman today." Cana mocked.

"Come on, Jellal, I don't have a date so you can walk me into the banquet," she mused, hooking her arm into his.

"Oh, sure, of course. Whatever you say, Lady Cana." Jellal muttered, rolling his eyes, making the girls laugh.

"Levy and Juvia, do you want me to find someone to escort you in, too?" Lucy asked, tucking in loose bits of her braid at the mirror. Instantly Juvia reached over and clutched Levy's wrist.

"…No, that's all right." Levy said waving her hand, glancing at Juvia. "I'm sure you couldn't find such regal men as Prince Aspen to escort us last minute, anyways," she smirked. Lucy stuck her tongue out at her friend before joining Cana and Jellal at the door.

"See you down there, then?" Lucy asked.

"Levy and Juvia will be along shortly." Juvia nodded.

"All right then! Let's get this party train going!" Cana said, pulling Jellal along with Lucy following behind. As soon as they were gone, Juvia got up and closed the door, turning to Levy slowly.

"I knew something was wrong." Levy said quietly. "Juvia, what is it?"

Juvia tensed up. She clinched her eyes shut and clutched her forehead. Levy swam to her, holding her steady. "Come on, sit down." Levy suggested. Juvia breathed in and out, her gills opening and closing slowly as she moved toward the bed.

"Juvia…" Levy said almost at a whisper.

"Juvia can hear them." Juvia finally said.

"W-What…?"

"The screaming…is so loud." She continued, a tear leaving a salt trail on her cheek. She was doubled over with her head in her lap. Levy looked at her helplessly, before getting up and starting for the door.

"I'm gonna go get-"

"No." Juvia said grabbing Levy's arm... "No, please…Juvia is fine now." She said opening her eyes. They were red and sad but she stopped clutching her head. "The…screaming stopped…"

"Juvia, I couldn't hear any screaming…but…you could hear it in your head?"

"Yes…it was the same people. The people in my dream."

"How can you tell?" Levy asked sitting back down beside her.

"A man. A human."

"A human….?" Levy barely whispered.

"Yes." Juvia nodded. "Juvia could hear his voice over everyone elses and he said the same thing he said before."

Levy looked steadily at Juvia before asking questions. "…What…did he say?"

"The man said, 'I know you'll help us, Juvia'…"


	7. Chapter 7

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 7

Parties, Proposals, and Promises

The grand hall of the royal palace was packed corner to corner with merpeople laughing, eating, and dancing. Every year, on the week of the princess's birthday, a giant banquet was held in which the whole kingdom, and guests from others, were invited. This year was all the more exciting because the princess would be turning 18.

Rays of colored lantern light flashed off of sequin dresses and diamond earrings, scattering flecks of brightness across the room. Privileged guests were being announced and descending from the grand staircase. Jellal stood at the top with a purple cloak around him and a golden staff, announcing these guests while Cana stood next to him, leaning over the banister and dropping appetizers and watching them float into the punch bowl way down below. After the amount of arriving merpeople dwindled, Jellal took the staff and banged on the floor with three loud thumps.

"Introducing!" He motioned widely. "Our great Princess of the Kingdom of Magnolia! Lucy Heartfilia! Accompanied by the Prince of Camellia! Aspen Roche!"

At that moment, Lucy came into the room, stopping at the top of the stairs for everyone to see. Aspen stood by her side, in a pure white tail coat, shirt, and tie with golden fringes on the shoulders, wearing a confident smile on his face.

"Hello good people of Magnolia! My great people!" Lucy shouted to her guests. "Thank you so much for coming to celebrate with me! Now enjoy yourselves!"

A magnificent cheer broke out over the hall. Lucy and Aspen descended the stairs, waving and smiling and catching the flowers that were thrown to them.

"I could get used to this," Aspen said leaning over close to Lucy's ear.

"…Don't bother." She muttered to herself.

Once they made it to the floor, Lucy and Aspen were surrounded by nobles: dukes and duchesses, ladies and earls from around the kingdom. From the back of the crowd, Lucy could see the top of a brunette head, pushing and shoving it's way through.

"Ex-Excuse Me! Yeah move! Sorry, coming through! Ok move!" the brunette said.

Lucy laughed to herself. After letting go of Aspen's arm and assuring him she'd be back, Lucy began moving through the crowd.

"Oh excuse me. Sorry. Thank you. Cana! Cana! I'm over here!"

Cana followed Lucy's voice finally getting out of the jumble of overexcited merguests.

"Good job making it out," Lucy smiled. "I thought you were going to die in there."

"These people don't know what 'excuse me' means?" she grumbled, readjusting her dress.

"Cut them a break. It's party time! Everyone's just excited is all."

"I can tell. Especially with this being your 18th birthday."

"Yeah. Hey, where are Levy and Juvia?" Lucy asked.

Cana's forehead wrinkled. "You didn't see them come down while you were waiting?"

"Uh-uh." Lucy shook her head. "I thought they'd be with you by now."

"Juvia probably got nervous or something and Levy's calming her down."

Lucy nodded, shrugging it off.

"You two do look really good together." Cana said.

"Huh?"

"You and Prince Fancyfins." Cana elaborated pointing toward Aspen, who was being overwhelmed by a crowd of admirers. "You know everyone's expecting you and Aspen to make the formal announcement tonight." Cana grinned, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Formal announ- no! no! No way in deep sea!" Lucy fumed.

"Calm down!" Cana laughed. "I know you wouldn't. Relax."

Lucy sighed, lightening up a little. "Sorry…I just. I hate this whole marriage thing. I'm 17 years old, why can't I just have a boyfriend? Or a catfish?"

"Because you're the princess." A voice said behind her. Lucy spun around to see her dad, looking down at her with a stern expression.

"Father." Lucy nodded.

"Hey, Uncle Jude." Cana waved, behind Lucy.

"Cana." The king mumbled under his mustache, slightly irritated. "How are your mother and father."

"Oh, you know. Crazy as ever, but thanks for-,"

"Could you give us a moment alone, please Cana." The king interrupted.

"…Uh yeah…sure." She said looking back and forth between Lucy and Jude. "I'll just go check on Levy and Juvia."

As soon as Cana swam off, Jude grabbed Lucy's arm, leading her to the open floor.

"Would you like to dance, my child?"

"…Of course, Father."

Spinning around, he placed his hand on her waist as they started to dance. Lucy looked down at her fins, unable to meet her father's eyes. He stared down coldly at the top of her head.

"You seem to forget that." He said quietly.

"Sir?" Lucy asked, looking up

"That you are the princess. It is your responsibility to do what needs to be done, which for you means finding a good husband of title and eventually taking the throne."

"…I'm only 17 years old…" she mumbled.

"What does age have to do with anything?" he spat. "If a knight didn't need to use his sword in battle until he was 18, does that mean he shouldn't learn to use it when he is 12? No. this is your responsibility and marrying earlier doesn't change that."

"It's my responsibility to marry someone I don't love? I don't even LIKE Aspen, Father. Not even a little."

"I don't care who you love. I don't even care who you like anymore. You're too indecisive and spoiled. You've turned down every suitor. I should've arranged your marriage when you wouldn't have been any wiser, but your mother-."

"Father, I-,"

"You're going to marry him."

"….What?" Lucy croaked.

"The day after you turn 18, you'll marry Prince Aspen-,"

"Father!"

"And he will have the rights-,"

"Dad!"

"To this throne, once I step down and you will be his queen."

By now, they had ceased dancing and stood staring at each other, close to the edge of the dance floor, some of the guests beginning to notice. Lucy blinked rapidly, looking up at her father.

"Dad…the next suitor, I promise, please, but not Aspen, ple-,"

"We already made a deal, Lucy."

"….You and Aspen?"

"It's done." Jude said letting go of Lucy. Without even looking at her, he placed his hands behind his back and floated off. Leaving Lucy behind with tears beading up in the corner of her eyes.

* * *

><p>After making her way to a long table of food and drinks, Lucy floated there, staring at the wall with empty, sad eyes, scraping her nails along the side of her glass.<p>

"You shouldn't stare into space like that." Jellal said, floating up next to her. "Here, Milady." He said handing her a napkin. "It wouldn't do good for the guests to see that the princess crying at her own birthday party."

"Thank you, Jellal." Lucy sniffed, wiping the salt from her cheeks.

"So when are you making your announcement?"

"What announcement?"

"You know what I'm talking about." He said matter-of-factly.

"…I don't know yet." Lucy replied, continuing to stare ahead. Jellal's eyes shifted down to her quickly and then back straight.

"So it's true. I thought it was just guest gossip." Jellal hesitated, waiting for Lucy to respond but she just kept mindlessly scraping her glass to the sound of the music.

"You're marrying him?" he raised his eyebrows. "I didn't think that you-,"

"It's what my father wants." Lucy said tightening her grip on the cup.

"What do you mean?"

"He and Aspen made some type of deal. I guess he got tired of waiting."

Jellal looked back down at Lucy again.

"…What? You don't approve of my fiance'?" she asked sarcastically at his silence.

"…I see now." He replied.

"See what?"

"You're giving in that easily?"

Lucy turned sharply to Jellal.

"Giving in?" She laughed harshly. "Jellal, you know my father. What else am I supposed to do?"

"I'm not sure, Milady, but I know you. If there's something that you truly don't want in your life, you keep it out. You'll find a way around this just as easily."

Lucy stared up at Jellal, her brows furrowed in uncertainty. She put the glass down, turning away from him and crossing her arms.

"…What kind of royal guard are you anyway?" She smiled smally. "Telling someone to go against the King's orders."

"I'm a friend of yours before a royal guard…Besides, I'm not very fond of that prince…" Jellal explained, his face spending a small second in a state of pure disgust. As if on cue, across the room, Aspen had pushed his way out of the crowd of admirers and was heading toward the table of drinks and snacks.

"Lucy, my love, you ran off without me!" he called pathetically from half-way across the room making it impossible for her to openly ignore him or sneer in contempt. Jellal's eyes narrowed automatically.

"I'd be honored if you'd dance with me." Aspen said in a low, charming voice, taking Lucy's hand in his.

"Oh, I don't think so. I'm a little tired." She replied looking down at her fins. Aspen's dark green eyes studied her for a moment, before he broke out in a smile.

"You don't have to be embarrassed if you're not the best dancer. Just let me lead you." Lucy looked around and could see the noisy looks of her guests vying for a view of the young merpeople together. She gave a small nod, letting Aspen put his hand on her waist and lead her to the floor. Lucy glanced back quickly, making eye contact with Jellal who mouthed "don't worry."

An orchestra filled with jocund mermen murmured in excitement as Lucy and Aspen took to the floor. They seemed to quickly choose a piece of music and started to strum the strings and strike the keys on their instruments. At the sound of the first lively note, Aspen and Lucy began to twirl across the floor. The spotlight followed them through the water, catching the light on the tips of Lucy's golden braid and Aspen's bright auburn hair. They seemed to glow and all the merguests watched them intently, drawn like moths to a flame.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked. His teeth looked alarmingly white, reflecting off of his white suit. His pale silver skin rippled with iridescent scales and Lucy cringed inside looking at the almost robotic way that his gills puffed in and out.

'He looks like a mannequin…' she thought. She wasn't trying very hard to hide her disapproval of him. Aspen noticed, lowering his thick eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"What do you think?" she replied, looking blankly in his eyes. Aspen's lips curled up into a small smile.

"Your father told you, then? I'm glad HE told you. I wasn't sure how you'd take it coming from me." He laughed nervously.

"How I'd take you and my father bartering for me like a prized sea cow, you mean?" she suggested.

"Well, when you put it like that-,"

"I won't do it." Lucy resolved, sticking her chin up toward him in rejection. At that moment, the music picked up and more people began to come on the dance floor. Aspen took this opportunity to pull Lucy closer to him, his stomach pressing against hers.

"You don't like me very much." He smiled down at her cockily.

"Oh, you figured that out?" she remarked sarcastically.

"Well…I had my suspicions but you haven't been hiding it very well tonight."

"What would I have to gain by pretending to like someone who frankly makes my skin crawl?"

Aspen threw his head back in loud, genuine laughter. Anyone watching would think they were thoroughly enjoying each other's company.

"Wow, Lucy. You're so blunt. I like that. Saying what's on your mind."

Lucy practically felt her skin rippling and she recoiled from him slightly, but he held her fast. His face became a little more serious as he leaned down to her.

"Come now. We don't want our guests thinking you're not having a good time."

"Let go of me, Aspen." Lucy said as calm as possible, looking up at him with dark, stormy eyes.

"It'd be easier on all of us if you cooperated, Lucy. This marriage will be a good thing, my love."

"I'm not 'your love'. Why not find some other stupid mermaid to charm and extort?"

"Hmmm…I could do that but I've made a pretty good deal with your father. All the gold I want and rights to the throne. I just have to be patient. Not to mention a beautiful wife as my queen."

Lucy's eyes had grown hard as he talked but softened after he finished she craned her neck and got closer to his face. "Try what you want." She said with a steely voice. "Things don't work out for people like you in this kingdom. I'm sure of that."

Of course, Aspen's only response was a sly smirk. He leaned down with his mouth next to Lucy's ear.

"I always get what I want, my love," he whispered.

Lucy grabbed Aspen's lapel, pulling him down toward her.

"We'll see." She whispered back in his ear. She had been holding onto his arm while they danced and now dug her nails into his skin, making him wince. His grip on her slackened and before he could do anything, she'd slipped away from him, leaving Aspen in the middle of the floor, challenged.

* * *

><p>As soon as Lucy emerged from the crowd, Jellal was beside her.<p>

"Milady." He acknowleged.

"I'm fine."

"…Are you certain? If you want me to-,"

"I said, I was fine, Jellal." Lucy reiterated, floating aimlessly toward the staircase.

"Planning on leaving?"

"Planning, yes."

"…Mm." Jellal grunted. Lucy stopped at the base of the steps and turned toward him.

"You're really slipping today, Jellal. No scolding me about being a good hostess and ditching my own party?"

"Milady," Jellal began. "You'll be 18 soon so I suppose I've realized that you're old enough to know what to do. You don't need someone only a little older than you scolding you all the time.

"Haha, wow. Is this my birthday present?" Lucy chuckled.

"If that's what you want to call it."

"It's probably the best gift I'll get today." She sighed.

At the top of the stairs, the doors opened and closed as Cana moved, a little urgently, through them. Lucy and Jellal furrowed their brows as they saw her. They both could tell pretty easily when Cana was upset since it hardly ever happened.

"Cana, what's-," Lucy began, catching Cana by the arms as she reached the bottom of the staircase.

"Juvia and Levy."

"What about them?" Jellal asked in a low voice.

"I went to go check on them and Juvia looked pale. I thought she was sick, but she kept saying 'Levy, don't' and that's when Levy told me that Juvia had been…having…some sort of dreams, visions, I don't know. She was hearing people calling her name and seeing other things but they siked her out pretty badly."

"What's that mean, though, Cana? Is she going crazy or something?" Lucy whispered.

"No. No I don't think so. I know a lot about dreams and visions and that sort of thing. My mom taught me about them. I don't understand it all, but I have a feeling Juvia knows something really bad's gonna happen, Lucy."

Lucy and Jellal looked at each other and back to Cana.

"Where are they now, Cana." Jellal urged. "Maybe it would do well for me to take them home."

Cana shook her head. "I'm worried. Juvia doubled over for a second, like her head was killing her and said, 'I know where he is,' then swam out of the room. Levy went right after her. That was like 5 minutes ago. I thought they might've still been in the palace, but…,"

"Ok." Jellal nodded. "You two stay. I'll go find them."

"You don't even know where they went," Cana reminded.

"I didn't think you did either." Jellal retorted, a little irritated.

"Yeah, but I know what she saw in her dream. It'd be easier for me to find where Juvia might've gone."

"…True. But I can't let you go alone."

"Wait. I'm coming too." Lucy interrupted.

"Milady, I can't allow that." Jellal replied. "Stay and take care of your problems here."

"Wait, what problems?" Cana asked, confused.

"They're my friends, too. They're more important."

"I understand, but-,"

"What problems?!" Cana asked again.

"Jellal, remember your birthday present to me." Lucy reminded him. Jellal looked uncertainly at Lucy, who looked sternly back. Sighing, Jellal gave in.

"…Ok, but we need to hurry."

"Wait, Jellal you should stay here just in case." Lucy said.

"But, milady-,"

"Stay here. Trust me, we'll be fine." Lucy nodded. "We'll find them and be back soon."

"Hey! What problems? And what present?" Cana asked, at her wit's end.

"Don't worry about it." Lucy assured her, grabbing Cana by her arm and pulling her away from the grand staircase and toward a side hallway.

"Come on, we're taking the more discreet exit."

* * *

><p>"Juvia! Juvia, where'd you go?!" Levy shouted, putting her hands up next to her mouth. I know where he is…That's what she said.<p>

'But who? The man in her dream, I bet.' Levy surmised in her head. "But where'd you go, Juvia…"

Levy had made it to the outskirts of the royal city, asking people if they'd seem Juvia come by.

"Oh yeah, I saw a blue-haired lady swimming that way pretty quick." A shop keeper had informed her.

'It's been 10 minutes since then…' Levy thought. 'She could've gone anywhere.'

"JUVIA! WHERE ARE YOU!" she screamed the curls now falling out of her hair. She had never been more worried about her adoptive cousin than she ever had in the last few days, and now Juvia had gone missing. Reaching the edge of the city, Levy stopped at the gate which hadn't been closed yet in the late evening. Past a certain point, the lights of the glistening buildings ceased to cast out their rays. All Levy could see on the horizon was a thick black line of emptiness fading up into the vast blue ocean rimmed with the light of an orange sunset.

"She couldn't've…" Levy whispered in dread, looking out at the dark stretch ahead. She leaned against a gate post, closing her eyes with a deep sigh.

'Alright, you have to go.' She thought. Getting herself worked up to it, she let go of the post and began floating through the gate.

"Levy!" a pair of voices called. She did a 360, the orange tulle of her dress falling down around her. She could barely make out the 2 silhouettes swimming toward her from a distance, while she squinted her eyes.

"…Cana?...and Lucy?"

"Hey!" Cana yelled, coming into view.

"Cana!" Levy said with relief, as Cana caught her in a hug. "Lucy? Why are you here? What about the banquet?" Levy asked over Cana's shoulder.

Lucy waved her hand dismissively. "It's not a big deal. Jellal can hold it down there. He's kind of a party animal."

Levy smiled and nodded. Pulling out of the hug, Cana grabbed her by the shoulders. "What were you doing? You weren't about to go out there, were you?"

"I've looked all over town for Juvia, and I haven't seen her at all. Someone said she went this way."

"You think she went out there?" Cana raised her brows, surprised. "…Maybe she IS going crazy…"

"Cana, don't say that." Levy furrowed her brows.

"Sorry, sweetie. Just kidding. Come on, let's go find her."

Lucy, Levy, and Cana followed each other out of the city and out into the vast sand and pebble covered expanse, swimming aimlessly and calling Juvia's name.

"Any idea where she might've gone?" Cana asked Levy.

"Nuh-uh." She said, with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, her dream didn't leave me much to go on."

Lucy turned her head to Cana. "But I thought you told Jellal that-,"

"I just said that so he'd let me come help find Juvia."

"And we still haven't seen a sign of her." Lucy sighed.

"No." Levy said over her shoulder.

"We'll find her soon guys. I know it."

What was actually 30 minutes seemed more like hours as the girls swam along through vacant space looking for Juvia. Their throats had become hoarse after screaming her name so long, but they continued yelling, knowing that they couldn't return home until they'd found her.

"JUVIA!" Levy screamed, her voice cracking. "JUVIA!" She swam a little ahead of Cana and Lucy.

"Levy!" Cana hollered, but Levy didn't seem to hear her. She continued yelling Juvia's name.

"Levy! Hold up a second!" Cana yelled again. This time Levy responded, turning around quickly as if she just realized that Cana was speaking to her. Cana and Lucy had stopped swimming and were looking uncomfortably at Levy.

"Huh? What is it? What's wrong?" Levy asked.

"Sweetie…we've been out here for 30 minutes." Cana began.

"I know but-,"

"We need to go back and get help, Levy."

"We can't now, Cana! We're close now. If we left and came back, who knows how long it'll take to find her."

"Levy, listen-,"

"Guys!" Lucy gasped. Cana and Levy looked to Lucy and saw her point in front of them.

"It's her! It's Juvia!"

A blot of blue curls and silver shells stood out up ahead. Juvia stood in front of a vast oval shaped opening of rock. The entrance was impossible to see into, but anyone could tell it led into a big cave.

The girls swam as fast as they could.

"JUVIA!" They all yelled with cracked voices, but she didn't respond. They surrounded her, giving hugs and admonitions, and asking questions, but Juvia continued to stare straight ahead.

"What's…she looking at?" Lucy whispered.

"Juvia…" Levy said gently, holding Juvia's face. "Come on, we're here. We need to go."

"He's…in there…" Juvia finally said. Levy quickly looked toward the cave.

"The human guy? I thought humans couldn't breathe underwater…"

"Juvia knows he's there." Juvia urged.

"…human?" Lucy asked. "What am I missing exactly?"

"Don't worry," Cana replied. "Only a lot."

"Gee, thanks."

"They're in trouble. We have to help them." Juvia pleaded.

"Them? There's more than one?" Lucy asked.

"Apparently. She saw a pirate's flag in her dream. Maybe it's a whole crew." Cana explained.

"…it wouldn't hurt to check it out at least, right?" Lucy suggested. "Then let's go in."

Juvia led the way in, slowly, followed by Levy, Lucy, and Cana in a single file line. As they kept going further in, they began to see a glow at the end of the cave.

"What is that?" Levy asked.

They approached it cautiously. As they neared it, they could see that the light came from a hole at the top of the cave. A hole leading above water. Juvia swam up without hesitation. Her friends followed and as they broke the surface of the water, they gasped loudly, their gills sipping for water while they worked their lungs.

"I've…never been above…water." Levy gasped heavily.

"Me…and Cana…used to come all the time." Lucy laughed between breaths.

"Yeah…when we'd…sneak away from…Uncle Jude's." Cana agreed.

They blinked rapidly as the moon beamed light down on the top of their wet, ruined hairdos.

"The moon's…so much brighter…on the surface. It's…beautiful." Levy said softly. In the corner of her eye, she could see Juvia bobbing up and down in the water. She hadn't said a word since they broke the surface.

"Juvia, you ok?" Cana asked, putting her hand in front of Juvia's eyes.

"Look," Juvia pointed. The pool of water they were in was surrounded by long slabs of rock, boulders and trees. Past the thin forest was a long stretch of tan beach that dipped down into a sparkling, clear blue ocean. On this stretch of beach was another vast figure, but not a natural one. A ship, a huge ship, sat on the sand, split straight down the middle with boards stripped off the sides, and a missing mast. One mast still remained, and a flag was still flying on it, slightly torn but otherwise fully intact.

It had a strange symbol but on top of it was a painted skull and cross bones marking it as only one type of vessel.

"It's the…" Juvia whispered with wide eyes.

"That's a ship!" Levy yelled in amazement.

"A human ship!" Lucy added.

"…A…pirate's ship…" Cana said wide-eyed. "Just like in Juvia's dream."

"I think we need to go back." Lucy said suddenly.

"But! We've found them! They need our help!" Juvia pleaded.

"No offense, Juvia, but I don't see anyone…" Cana said.

"But-,"

"Maybe they're right, Juvia." Levy interrupted. "We don't know what we could be getting into."

"We'll come back." Lucy said.

"…We will?"

"Yes. I promise, but we need to think about all this first. Besides, Jellal's covering for me. We've been gone a while. He's probably pulling his hair out."

"You're right." Cana nodded. "We'll come back. But now that we found Juvia, we better go home. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Levy said.

"…Juvia…understands." Juvia answered hesitantly. The girls plunged downward into the moonlit water and back into the cave, leaving behind the remnants of Fairy Tail's wrecked pirate ship on the sandy beach.


	8. Chapter 8

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 8

Reconvene

It took nearly two hours for the girls to find Juvia and make it back to the palace. By then, a steady stream of dejected, drunken, or oblivious guests were leaving the banquet, taking balloons, snacks and party favors with them. In an attempt to avoid being seen, Lucy led her friends through the back exit they'd used before, taking the stairs. On their way up, they could hear the loud complaints of some of the merpeople.

"I didn't even get a chance to speak to the princess!"

"Or to see the proposal."

"Sick! On a night like this." They grumbled.

"What are they talking about, Lucy? You got sick?" Levy whispered.

"…No, I'm fine." Lucy replied confused.

"I made up an excuse on Milady's behalf." Jellal said from the top of the back staircase, waiting with his arms crossed. His face was almost as purple as his cloak and his blue hair was tousled and messy like he'd been pulling at it. The girls looked up at him a little nervously.

"Sorry, Jellal." Lucy said, swimming further up the stairs toward him.

"You were gone for 2 whole hours. I was prepared to come looking for you." Jellal said, irritated.

"Jellal," Lucy began. "You shouldn't stress so much. We found Juvia like I said. Everything's alright now, ok?"

Jellal eyed her a bit before sighing, his rigid shoulders sagging as if someone had taken a weight off of them.

"Well…I had to lie to your father and that Camellian prince. I told them you'd gotten ill and went up to bed and that the girls were looking after you."

"Thank you so much, Jellal. Really."

Jellal swam down the steps past the girls. "I have to go supervise security while the guests are leaving, but," he said, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Tomorrow's the last day of the prince's stay. If he and your father are going to make a move, you'd better be prepared." He advised.

"Yeah, definitely." Lucy nodded while her friends looked on, confused. Before they could ask any questions, Jellal responded.

"Alright," he said, letting out another sigh. He looked exhausted. "I'm glad you're all safe. You gave us a scare, Juvia."

Juvia's eyes widened and her face turned red. "Oh, I apologize a thousand times!" She bowed her head. "I didn't mean to make anyone worry!"

Jellal smiled slightly. "It's alright." He said, turning away.

"Oh, Jellal!" Lucy said suddenly, swimming down the stairs.

"Hm?" he turned around.

"When we were out looking, we saw-,"

"The gates!" Cana interrupted.

"What?" Jellal asked.

Lucy looked back to see Cana giving her a look, that said 'Don't say a word.'

"The gates? What's she mean? What about the gates?" Jellal looked back at Lucy who hesitated for a moment.

"Uhh…yeah, the gates…They're open this late? Is that safe?" she asked with wide eyes.

"Well, some guests are still commuting home. So of course they're open now. We'll...Wait. Did you go out that far?"

"Well, uh, we, um, went out to the edge of the city. It took us a while to find Juvia and all, so…" Lucy tried to explain. Jellal just looked tiredly before nodding and swimming away.

"Right. Well, you girls should get some sleep. Good night, Milady." He waved back.

"Yeah, night, Jellal!" Cana said swimming down, grabbing Lucy by the shoulders and pushing her up the stairs.

The girls swam up the Lucy's room, Cana leading them all through the door before closing it.

"Why'd you stop me from telling him?" Lucy asked Cana as she plopped down on Lucy's bed. She turned her head, looking out through her bunch of brunette hair.

"Do YOU want to have to explain to Jellal – who, by the way, flips out when you drop a dinner fork on the floor – why we were:

1. Outside of the gates

2. In a cave, out those gates, and

3. Planning on helping a bunch of human pirates that we found by going into said cave outside the gates?"

Lucy looked like she was about to retort, but she changed her mind. "Yeah, you're right." She sighed.

They were all emotionally disheveled. The curls and braids had fallen out of their hair and their dresses were weighing them down. They undressed, leaving everything on the floor, being too exhausted to do much else, and lay down to sleep.

Lucy and Cana shared Lucy's large queen bed, while Levy and Juvia each took one of Lucy's fancy sofas. Lucy clicked off her lamp and pushed her tail under the covers. None of them could sleep. They stared up at the ceiling, the glow-in-the-dark star stickers giving off a faint green tint.

"Juvia apologizes again…"Juvia whispered into the silence."

"It's ok, Juvia." Lucy reassured. "We were just worried."

Juvia looked over at Levy who had been pretty quiet since they got back. "Levy is mad at Juvia?" she asked.

Levy pulled the blanket down. "No! Juvia, why would I be mad at you? I was just worried like Lucy said. I'm just tired is all."

"Me too." Cana added, muffled from under the covers.

"And…" Levy continued. "I keep thinking about what we saw. Humans…a pirate ship…the stars…" she paused, closing her eyes with a smile. "It's the type of thing I've only ever read about…" Her smile faded and her mouth parted slightly. Her eyebrows lifted in a slow, dreamlike way as she tried to let sleep take her.

There was small stretch of content silence between the four of them. Lucy turned over on her side and stared at the wall, listening to the water currents move along around the outside of the palace.

"…My father made a deal with Aspen that I'd marry him." She said quietly.

…

"WHAT?!" Cana yelled, sitting up in the bed.

"A deal?" Levy asked opening one sleepy eye.

"Lucy's…getting married?" Juvia blushed.

"No. Lucy is most certainly NOT getting married." Lucy huffed, pulling the covers up to her nose.

"Wait, wait, wait. Is THAT what you and Jellal have been speaking in code about? Why didn't you tell us?" Cana yelled again.

"Stop yelling, or I won't tell you." Lucy mumbled.

"Fine."

"You mentioned a deal?" Levy asked again.

"Yeah. My freedom for a lousy pile of gold."

"Ok, stop riddling Lucy. What happened?" Cana urged, literally pushing her. Lucy sat up in the bed with a huff, pushing her hand through her blond curls, scratching her head. She let her hand fall down to her lap as her friends sat up, wide awake now, staring expectantly at her.

"Well…" Lucy began, relaying the whole situation to Levy, Cana, and Juvia: the conversations with her dad, Jellal, and Aspen.

"So I don't know what to do…except maybe run away…" Lucy huffed, resting her face in her palm.

"Oh come on, drama princess," Cana laughed. "We all know good and well that you're not gonna run away."

"And you definitely can't marry him." Levy said shaking her aqua head.

"Oh well, yeah of course not. He'd basically have rights to the throne. He could do just about anything he wanted with this country." Lucy said.

"Yeah, but it's really not about that." Levy replied.

"What does Levy mean?" Juvia asked.

"A guy like that?" Levy furrowed her brows. "For him it's not about the political power. He could get that in his own kingdom."

"So what IS it about, then?" Lucy asked, her knees drawn up to her chin.

"It's all a game to him. I could guess that by looking at him and from what you said about him, I'm sure of it. He likes being able to come into someone else's space and take over. If you marry him, you'll be like a toy he'll play with every chance he gets just to show you that there's nothing you can do about it." Levy warned, leaning back on the arm rest.

Juvia and Cana just looked at her before turning back to Lucy.

"…Ok so we're back to the option of running way." Lucy said dejectedly.

"Look," Cana began. "Why not just say 'no' at this proposal thing tomorrow? Outright, in front of everyone?"

Lucy scratched her forehead, looking down at the blanket.

"Cana…I…I can't do that…"

"And why not?"

"I…just can't."

"Uncle Jude's that scary, huh?"

"Cana shouldn't tease Lucy that way." Juvia scolded.

"I'm just kidding, ok. It's up to you, Luce. It's your future. But whatever you decide, we'll back you up. Just know that."

"Yes," Juvia nodded.

"Definitely." Levy smiled.

Lucy managed a small smile back at her friends. "Thanks, guys." She said, laying back in bed and closing her eyes. "I just hope I figure out what to do by tomorrow."

* * *

><p><em>Natsuuuuuu….<em>

"Igneel…? Is that you again?"

_Nattttsssuuuu….my boy…_

"…Dad."

_Nattssuuuuu…you fooolll…foooollll…foooolll…fool…_

"…Hu…Huh?"

_Waakkee up, you fool…_

_It's onllyyy a matter of tiiimmmeee…_

_The suuunn iss growing blacker_

_Youuu'll answer for your criiimes…_

* * *

><p>Natsu gasped in a huge breath as he awoke. He opened his eyes slightly but his vision was blurry and it was dark.<p>

"Natsu." A voice said. "Hey, Natsu." Natsu parted his eyes a little wider, blinking rapidly. He could make out a face that was dark in the shadows with a frazzled top of black hair.

"…G…Gray?" Natsu croaked. As it all came back to him his eyes grew wide. "ERZA!" he yelled suddenly, trying to sit up. He immediately leaned back onto his elbows, cringing from the pain in this head.

"Hey, hey, dude." Gray said, holding Natsu down by the shoulders. "Don't move too much. You don't look so good." Natsu was breathing thick, raspy breaths. His face was almost paper white and gaunt and he was covered in sweat.

"But Erza, she's-,"

"Fine. A little beat up. Resting. But fine."

"What about the others?"

"They're doing ok, too."

"Wendy? And Gramps? Is he-,"

"Yeah, Wendy's fine, the Captain's fine, Mira's fine, Gajeel, Elfman, Max, Warren, and most of the crew is fine."

Natsu looked up at Gray with sad, bloodshot eyes. "Not everyone though…I saw what happened to some of them…"

Gray just looked at him with a grim face. "Yeah…we're still looking…"

Natsu let himself fall back into the sand with a 'puff', sending a cloud floating up around him. He closed his eyes in malcontent. He could feel hot tears trying to come out.

"Hey, man, I'll get you some water." Gray said, patting Natsu's arm before getting up and running off.

"…Why?" Natsu whimpered. He opened his eyes to the dark sky littered with constellations. He continued to stare up into space until his mind became empty and everything faded…

* * *

><p>"Igneel…Igneel where are you…?" Natsu's voice echoed inside his head. No one answered. "Dad!" he yelled. Again, he was met with silence. All of a sudden a black, shimmering hand came out of nowhere, grabbing Natsu by his throat and lifting him off the nonexistent ground. Natsu tried to fight back but his body was limp, unmoving, and no matter how much he willed himself, he couldn't take action. Natsu saw no body, only the hand that held him up and wrapped its fingers tighter around his throat until eventually the lack of air made him pass out…<p>

* * *

><p>Again, Natsu woke up with a gasp. He opened his eyes to the sky, which was still in darkness.<p>

'Must've been a few minutes…" he thought. He felt moist and uncomfortable, the sand sticking to his sweaty skin as he sat up slowly, touching his forehead which had now been wrapped in a strip of cloth. He pushed himself to his knees, accidentally knocking over a shell of water as he picked up his boots, and then got unsteadily to his feet, falling over twice before he could stand up completely. When Natsu could finally stay up, he took a look around. He was on a slight sand hill that sloped down into a stretch of sparse trees. The sandy hill where he was was open and the wind blew freely around him, tousling his greasy pink hair that stuck to his head from his hours of sleep. Between the limbs sticking out in the strip of trees, Natsu could make out more sand and an ocean. A faint golden glow illuminated on the beach like fire.

Natsu picked up his heavy feet and trudged them slowly through the sand, down the hill and through the trees. He felt the change of terrain under his feet from cool grain to cooler, wet grass catching between his toes. As he approached the beach, he could now hear talking. It was hoarse and quiet, almost whispering but he could make out specific voices: Mira and Makarov and Gajeel and Gray. This excited Natsu and he willed himself to move a little faster, despite his aching body, through the trees until he came out in front of the camp.

The beach was littered with small hearths surrounded by dozens of Fairy Tail's pirates. They sat on logs and rocks, making absentminded circles in the sand or staring up at the infinite amount of stars. At the fire right in front of Natsu, a shirtless Gray sat next the Captain, whose head was wrapped up just like Natsu's. Gajeel and Elfman shared a big rock, Elfman's eyes glinting orange as he stared into the fire with his head in his hands. Gajeel was sitting forward with his head down, a bunch of twigs and leaves sticking out of his long, black hair. On the sand, Wendy sat with a sleeping Erza's head on her lap while she patched up cuts and bruises on her pale face. Mira kneeled next to Erza, bandaging her arms, while Happy and Carla lay sympathetically on Erza's legs.

Natsu was breathing shallow breaths from pushing himself too hard but a smile broke out on his face as all his friends turned their gaze to him.

"Natsu!" Mira exclaimed.

"Hey, you're awake." Gray smiled.

"About time." Gajeel smirked.

"I guess a man needs his sleep." Elfman added.

"Here." Gray said, getting up. "Have my seat."

"Thanks, man." Natsu said, taking the seat next to Makarov.

"Glad you're alright, my boy." The Captain smiled tiredly, patting Natsu's back.

"You too, Gramps. I see you guys didn't waste time making camp."

"Yes well, all of you children have been through a lot. I felt it necessary that everyone had a place to rest."

"Yeah, I came to yesterday around noon right down there." Gajeel spoke up, pointing down the beach.

"Me and Gajeel were both tied to a mast that got ripped off. After he woke me up and we got water, we went searching over the island and found our crew strewn all over the place and the Mavis some way down shore, pretty broken up. Up there is where we found you. Gray explained pointing back through the trees. "We would've carried you down here, except it would've been hard tryna get you through those trees."

"Hm." Natsu grunted, rubbing his eyes. "I meant to get up earlier when you found me but before I knew it, I feel asleep. How long was I out? 10, 20 minutes?"

"Minutes?" Gajeel asked.

"Try a whole day." Mira smiled.

"…What? Nooo, that was an hour, tops... A whole day…?" Natsu said in disbelief.

"I went to get you some water and when I came back, you were passed out." Gray said. Natsu just sat there shaking his head slightly.

"Well…how is everybody?" he asked. "How's Erza doing?"

"Come see for yourself." Mira suggested. Natsu got up from the log and walked over to Erza, kneeling next to Mirajane.

"She hasn't woken up yet." Mira said.

"What's wrong with her?" Natsu asked with furrowed brows looking up at Wendy. She shook her head. "I'm not sure. I mean, she doesn't have any serious injuries; just scratches and bruises. She's just…asleep."

"Warren and Max took a couple other guys with them to the ship. You know, see if they could salvage anything. Food, medicine, whatever." Gray added. Natsu looked back down at Erza.

"…Maybe that could help her…" he whispered. Happy came around Natsu's side and nuzzled his hand. "Hey there, little buddy." Natsu laughed, picking up his friend. "Glad you're doing alright." He said, scratching behind Happy's ear, making him purr.

"We're gonna go looking around once the sun comes up." Gajeel said. "Find whatever we can. Maybe even some animals. And where there's animals, there's -,"

"Meat!" Natsu said with a huge grin.

"I was gonna say fresh WATER." Gajeel rolled his eyes. "…but a little meat ain't outta the question." He smirked.

"Alll right." Natsu said, getting up. "I'll be helping with that."

"Dude." Gray interjected. "You just woke up. Maybe you should take it easy."

"Thanks, Mom," Natsu snorted sarcastically, stretching his arms. "but I think I'm fine. Just get me some water and I'll be all fired up!"

"There's some rocky terrain around here, ya know. As soon as you try and climb anything bigger than a mole hill, you'll be all knocked out, moron." Gray said back. "Geez, I mean, try and help a guy and all he wants to do is act like an idiot."

"Hey! Don't call me an idiot, idiot!"

"You can't use what I just called you as a comeback, stupid. It doesn't work that way!"

"I CAN DO WHATEVER THE HECK I WANT!"

"THEN SHUT UP!"

"WHY DON'T YOU?!"

All of a sudden two big rocks hurtled straight into Natsu and Gray's heads, knocking them over. "WOULD THE BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP?!" an angry voice yelled.

Natsu and Gray faces dropped as they turned around to face their assailant.

"E-Erza..?" Natsu croaked. Erza was sitting up now, next to Wendy and Mira, her eyes narrowed in anger, the light of the fire making them look hotter than the kindle.

"Honestly, I can't even sleep without the two of you bickering like a couple of old women." She huffed, wincing at the pain in her stiff muscles.

"We're very sorry!" Gray and Natsu said, bowing their heads down. Erza looked at them before sighing.

"It's alright, boys. I'm just glad to see you're not injured." She said taking a look around. "I'm glad to see you're all not hurt."

"We could say the same for you." Mira said, giving Erza a quick hug.

"Erza." Natsu said, crawling next to her. "You feelin' alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" she asked.

"You've been knocked out for a while." Wendy explained. "And when we tried waking you up, you wouldn't even move…" Erza's friends looked back at her, nodding in agreement to what Wendy had said.

"Good thing you finally came to," Gray kneeled down.

"It felt like I was just in a heavy sleep. Like I was dreaming, but I don't actually remember dreaming about anything. I guess the two of you yelling snapped me back to reality.

"Instead of causing an all-out brawl for once." Elfman smirked.

"Yes, I suppose I can thank you for that." Erza smiled, pulling Gray and Natsu into a bone-crushing hug.

"Okay, okay!" they yelled, making everyone else break out in laughter.

* * *

><p>Elfman and Gajeel gave up their seats on the rocks to Erza and Wendy and sat on the sand while everyone at canned stew that Max and Warren scrounged up from the shipwreck.<p>

"The whole thing was split straight down the middle, like a giant went into it with a kitchen knife." Warren said, while slurping up stew.

"…Well, that's a freaky image…" Gajeel mumbled.

"It was pretty easy getting from floor to floor with it cut open that way, though." Alzack said.

"Weird thing though," Max spoke up between spoonfuls of potatoes and carrots. "It seems like only the upper deck got seriously screwed…even though the inside was wide open, and we were in the middle of that storm, everything's still in the same place.

"Yeah. We found these cans in the cupboard where they've always been." Warren agreed.

"And my broom was still in the pantry, thank God." Max said. "There's some water damage, but other than that, it's all intact."

"That's rather strange…" Makarov said stroking his mustache. "I feel like something's amiss."

"Strange? More like lucky!" Natsu exclaimed. "My food stash is probably still there!"

"That stuff's probably soaked through, Natsu." Warren laughed nervously.

"No, the Captain's correct. How is the ship still intact with its contents included, but soaked through? Shouldn't that stuff have been washed out in the ocean? Erza suggested. "Sounds like it was almost surrounded by a bubble of some sort…"

"That black stuff." Natsu said. "Maybe that protected us." He thought.

"Maybe…" Erza responded, not enthused. "Whatever it was."

"My…" Wendy whispered.

"Hm? What is it, Wendy?" Mira asked.

"My ship…Did any of you see Cait Shelter's ship? When you found me?" Wendy said quietly. It was silent for a little before Erza spoke up.

"…No, we…didn't see it…we only found driftwood."

"So it's possible that it's still out there. That some of my crewmates washed up somewhere like we did." Wendy said, smiling a small smile to herself.

"Yeah! I bet they are! If we're here, why can't that be somewhere else?" Natsu agreed triumphantly.

"Mhm." Erza nodded happily. "I don't see why not." Wendy simply responded with a confident nod. The Fairies had gained a lot of their spirit back, though some of them being missing or dead put a damper in their mood. Makarov stood up after they'd all eaten, clanking his bowl with a spoon.

"Gather around, my children!" he exclaimed. "We've been through so much but it warms my heart to still be able to see so many of your faces! Tomorrow, we begin searching the island. We'll split up in groups to find what we can, but don't worry about that for now! Rest and we'll convene when the sun rises!" And to that, the Fairies met their Captain with a hearty cheer as they always did.

The beach was loud and bright with conversation before the fires started to peter out and eventually the stars were the only light against the sand as the fairies slept. Natsu lay on the beach with Happy on his belly as it caved in and out while he looked up at the sky. Now that everyone was sleeping, he had more time to think about the dream he'd had…Or what he could remember of it. His mouth turned down.

"…Igneel…" he whispered as he reached his scratched fingers up to the sky. "…What's going on?" That's when the warm beating of his heart began to pick up and Natsu felt a familiar feeling. Clinching his hand into a fist, Natsu smiled as he understood what it was. He didn't know why but what he felt was excitement.

'Whatever's going on…,' he thought. 'I'm all fired up.'


	9. Chapter 9

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 9

The Journey, not the Destination

Natsu couldn't sleep. All he succeeded to do was toss and turn for about 2 hours, passing in and out of a fragile stupor until he couldn't take it anymore. He sat up with a frustrated huff. "I'm tired of sleeping…" he complained, pulling a snoozing Happy off his stomach and placing him delicately on the sand. Natsu stood up, looking out over the ocean ahead of him, touching a sky that was light pink on the bottom fading up into a dark blue: the sign that the sun was emerging as it chased away the darkness. Natsu stretched his arms up as far as they could go before letting out a content sigh. He stepped forward but stopped when he felt his feet touch what seemed like someone's hair. He looked down and saw that he had stepped on a sleeping Elfman's white locks. Though he was unconscious, snoring like a wild beast, and thus none the wiser, Natsu still apologized while taking an instinctive step back.

"Well crap." Natsu muttered scratching the back of his head. His sleeping friends were blocking him in. During the night, he clamored for a place right by the fire on the inside of the circle because he found it necessary to feel its heat, but now his position by the hearth made it hard to get out. Natsu made an attempt at finagling his way around the sleeping people on the sand, stepping on arms and legs, only crushing a couple of fingers on his way.

Once he made it to the open sand, he glanced back, laughing, admiring his handy (or foot) work and ran for the open ocean. His body was still aching all over but he'd regained the color in his face and the life in his bones, so a little pain was nothing. As soon as he reached the water, he let himself fall face forward with a splash, diving under, his hair and his vest rising up around him. He giggled to himself as the water filled out the insides of his puffy white pants. He moved his legs and arms smoothly around like a jellyfish as he looked at the deep blues and greens and blacks of the sea. A little ways down shore, Natsu could see someone's legs. They had their feet planted firmly in the sand and their legs only moved to regain that footing every once and a while. Natsu smiled mischievously to himself. He swam slowly until he was about 5 feet from whoever was out there and burst out of the water with a great amount of theatrics. Erza let out a high pitch scream and fell back in the water with her legs straight up in the air.

"Erza!" Natsu croaked, his face going white. He waded through the water toward her and leaned down to help, but she grabbed hold of his ankle and he fell backwards like she did. Natsu heard what sounded like the growl of his name and he slowly pushed his head above the surface, not past his eyes, to meet Erza's glare coming through the wet strands of hair sticking to her face.

"I…didn't know it was you." He said quietly. She sighed before lying back in the water and letting herself float.

"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to do some stretching…My body feels so weak…"

"I know what you mean…" Natsu mumbled.

"I supposed you couldn't sleep either." Erza asked.

"Nah. I slept through a whole day. I'm sick of sleeping and having weird dreams." He said letting himself drift beside her.

"Dreams?"

"Yeah…I can't remember most of them but…I kept seeing my dad, but it…wasn't him. It was someone else, but it wasn't anybody…"

Erza looked at him blankly. "I'm not sure I follow."

"Don't worry about it." Natsu sighed. They floated on top of the ocean in silence quite a bit before Natsu spoke. "It was that black stuff…"

"Hm?" Erza barely mumbled, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"That's who it – or what it – or what it was **made** out of?...Or…"

"You mean that mist?"

"Yeah. In my dream, my dad was the mist stuff. And it saved us for real so…"

"Natsu, we don't know that for sure. Like you said. It was a dream and besides, that mist came in with the storm. For all we know it attacked us."

"Hmm..." Natsu groaned, furrowing his brows. "That's true…it did try and choke me."

"It choked you? Like you swallowed it or something?" Erza asked worriedly.

"Nah, with its hand."

"…Why are talking about your dream, correct?"

"Yeah."

"So you're saying the mist was in the form of a person?"

"Well…yeah…uh, no. It was just a hand. No body or nothin'."

"…That is a strange dream…" Erza whispered looking up in the sky, growing ever brighter as it got closer to sunrise.

"I saw you in it." Natsu said.

"What do you mean?"

"After the storm sucked us in, I woke up and I saw you floating around in it. It was like everything had stopped. It was all quiet, and black... it felt good too…but there's just something about it all that's eating at the back of my mind…"

Erza looked over at Natsu and found him looking straight up with squinted eyes and a rigid jaw. She laughed to herself at his appearance. "Well don't strain yourself trying to remember it all. It'll come to you."

Natsu snapped back to attention. "Yeah, you're right. Sun's up. Let's head back." He said, as he and Erza began walking toward the shore, splashing their feet through the water. As they neared the camp, Natsu and Erza could hear the assorted sounds of people waking up. Yawning and chatting and the light flickering sound of small but growing flames. Natsu lifted his nose into the air and took a strong whiff.

"Mmm." He said rubbing his belly, as they came into view of the camp sight. "Something smells like gooood cooking!"

Mirajane sat on a log pulled up close to the fire, stirring the appetizing contents of a tall black pot with a long wooden spoon. "Morning, you two!" Mira said, looking up at Natsu and Erza. "Out for a romantic walk at sunrise?" she laughed mischievously, winking at the two of them.

"Why don't you ask Natsu?" Erza said throwing her arm around Natsu's neck. "Remember when we were kids and he used to put on those fake weddings?"

"Echh!" Natsu choked, furrowing his eyebrows in irritation. "You mean you and Mira FORCED me to go along with your psycho pretend weddings."

Mira and Erza just laughed as Natsu grimaced, struggling to escape the iron-hold that Erza had on him before she finally let him go. The commotion all down the beach had begun to pink up. Walking along the shore with Happy and Carla, holding a bundle of cloth strips and a small bucket of water was Wendy, her long blue hair tied back in a business-only ponytail. Natsu caught sight of her and – seeing any excuse to get away from Mira and Erza's reminiscing – ran toward her.

"Hey! Wendy!" he said, waving, with a thankful look on his face.

"Oh, Good morning, Natsu." Wendy smiled.

"Here, let me hold that for you." He said, gesturing toward the bucket.

"That's alright. I got it."

"If you're sure." Natsu replied with a shrug, falling in line beside Wendy with his hands shoved in his pockets. "You know, we haven't really gotten a chance to talk since the storm and all."

"Mhm." Wendy hummed, barely paying attention, scanning the beach and its inhabitants.

'She looks pretty serious.' Natsu thought. "Who ya lookin' for, Wendy?" he asked, making her jump.

"Oh, sorry. Just trying to see who needs patching up. I've been replacing bandages and tending to injuries for the past hour."

"Well, I could help." Natsu suggested.

"Oh, thanks, Natsu, but…do you know anything about first aid?" Wendy laughed, scratching her cheek.

"Hmm…I guess I see your point." He pouted.

"Besides, Natsu you should be the one getting first aid."

"What?"

"You're bleeding." Wendy frowned, pointing upward. "Your forehead. The wound must've opened up."

"Aw, crap." He said brushing his hair out of his face and touching the spot and looking at his red stained fingers. "If Gramps and Gray see this, they'll never let me go hunting."

"Maybe you shouldn't, Natsu, you know?" Wendy said with concern.

"Come on, Wendy." Natsu said grabbing her slender shoulders that went immediately tense. "There's meat out there! Meat!" Wendy's eyes softened at the immediate mention of her favorite food. She didn't look it, but her taste for meat was almost as carnivorous as Natsu and Gajeel's. The Dragon's Claw Pirates were known for their hunting and Grandine's eating habits weren't without translation to her daughter. Wendy once witnessed Grandine strip the barbequed rib of a mountain lion down to the bone in a matter of minutes.

"I…do like meat." Wendy considered.

"Yeah ya do." Natsu nodded.

"Ok, but at least let me patch that up. I feel bad for not wrapping it well enough in the first place."

"Nah, don't blame yourself," Natsu said as they continued walking back up the beach. "Hey, by the way where'd you get all the clothes to make those bandages?"

"Oh, Gray went up the ship this morning and brought a bunch of shirts. He said didn't need to wear one anyway, so we tore them up." Wendy said, blushing a little.

Natsu just sighed , shaking his head. "That freaking pervert."

* * *

><p>After everyone's stomachs were warm with stew, Makarov climbed up on a rock so that all the pirates could see him.<p>

"All right, kiddos! Listen up! Now that we've eaten, I would like to begin our survey of this island. As we are all award. We are in need of supplies: fresh water and food. Many things are available for us on the ship but we are unable to assume that the provisions upon the Mavis will last for the duration of our stay as we have no foreseeable means of getting means of getting home!"

"Captain Makarov!" Macao, an older member of the crew, raised his hand. "What about Laxus and his Thundergod Crew? Surely your own grandson will realize we're missing and come looking, right?"

"Perhaps." Makarov stroked his mustache. "But Laxus had always been more preoccupied with his own affairs and even if he caught drift of our situation, no one is to know how long from now that'd be."

"Come on, Gramps. Laxus'll find us." Natsu reassured. Makarov just grunted with another stroke of his mustache, not convinced of the wherewithal of his grandson to relieve the Fairies of their situation anytime soon.

"Yes well, as I was saying, besides provisions, our crew is missing members of its family. We have yet to search the entirety of the island so searching for any number of our men and women is not a futile endeavor. I have already decided on four groups in which you will be assigned to perform a specific duty."

The pirates began to murmur, much like school students curious of who their class partners will be.

"Hush!" Makarov hollered with a firm stomp of his foot. "The first group: Macao, Visitar, and Wakaba. You will search the south part of the island – where we are now. The second group: Elfman, Nab, and Laky. Take the western part. The third group will be taking the north side of the island. It's the farthest away, so I picked someone up to the task: Gray, Gajeel, and Natsu." This announcement elicited an excited reaction from Natsu. "And the fourth group will be the largest group: Max and Warren will head up the task of searching the Floating Mavis for any valuable tools and supplies. If there is any extra time before sundown, you will search the east side of the island. If this cannot be done today, search of the east side will start tomorrow. Those who are too injured will stay here so that Wendy and Mira can tend to those injuries. I'll be staying here as well. Are there any questions about how this will work?"

"Captain!" a hand shot up. Alzack, a black haired pirate who looked as if he came right out of the West, pushed himself toward the front of the crowd. "I request to be put on one of the main search teams." He clinched his fist, determined. "Bisca…the others…are out there and I wanna help look."

"Hmm…" Makarov considered. "Very well, Alzack. When the time comes to head out, accompany Elfman's team."

"Thank you, sir."

"If there are no more questions, begin preparing for your missions. Search parties, arm yourselves and pack plenty of food and water to boil if freshwater cannot be procured. Begin in an hour. Good luck and Godspeed, my children!"

At that, the pirates yelled with collective enthusiasm and began to wander off with the exception of a few.

"Captain." Erza said, approaching Makarov as he got down from the rock he was standing on. "Why have I not been assigned to a search party? I am perfectly fine."

"Well I felt since we had no idea what ailed you previously, it would be better to take precautions rather than to risk further injury.

"I can respect your decision, sir," Erza said stepping forward, her boots dug as firm in the sand as her mind was on her request. "But there is no way Natsu and the other two are making that trek without someone to accompany them.

"Accompany?" Makarov raised a thick, gray eyebrow.

"Yes. We all know that the three of them can't even get 20 feet down the shore before they start bickering." Erza said confidently.

"Oi, Scarlet. We don't need no babysitter." Gajeel interjected to which Natsu and Gray immediately agreed.

"Yeah, besides Erza you're sick, right?" Gray questioned in feigned worry.

"Boy, Gray, you're right." Natsu grinned, unable to even match Gray's semi-convincing performance in their charade. "Erza, you don't look so good. You're kinda pale. And your forehead's burning up!" he snickered placing the back of his hand on Erza's forehead, which she grabbed and held like a bear trap.

"You're one to talk." She said with calm indifference. "Your forehead's bleeding."

Natsu gasped, trying to hide the fact that his wound wasn't fully healed.

"Umm, Captain." Wendy spoke, holding up her hand. "If it means anything, both Mirajane and I looked over Erza, and she seemed to be in perfect health…or at least not any less healthy than everyone else."

"Wendy!" Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel shouted simultaneously, making the girl jump.

"…Huh?" she asked, clutching tightly to her skirt hem, a little frightened.

"Well…" Makarov hummed thoughtfully. "If our medically-sound can't find a problem…" he implied over the sound of the boys' cries and pleas. "Then I suppose Erza is all right to accompany you all on your way to the north side of the island."

"AWWW!" the boys groaned, throwing up their hands and stomping their feet in a childish fit of protest.

"Thank you, Captain." Erza beamed before turning on her heel and walking off in triumph.

* * *

><p>"Seriously? Come on." Natsu growled under his breath as he sat on a rock, pulling on his black boots while Wendy sat behind him, changing his bloody bandage. Her mouth was puckered and her brows furrowed.<p>

"What's wrong?" she asked innocently.

"I can't believe you convinced Gramps to let Erza come along. It's not fair." He grumbled.

Wendy's eyes widened as she tensed up, her cheeks immediately turning red in shame, though why she should be ashamed, she didn't know.

"I-I…" she stuttered.

"Not cool, Wendy. I thought we were bros." Natsu crossed her arms, pouting.

"She's a 12 year girl…" Gajeel said rolling his eyes as he buckled a giant studded iron sword to his back.

"So."

"SO she ain't your 'bro'."

"Well, sis sounds weird."

"Then just shut up and leave her alone, anyway. She was only doin' her job."

"I…didn't realize I was doing something wrong…" Wendy said, ducking her head.

"Don't worry about it, kid. You simply didn't know any better." Gray consoled her, patting her head.

"What's so bad about Erza? I thought she was nice…" Wendy asked.

"Sure. She's nice without her swords." Gray said.

"Yeah, but not otherwise. That Scarlet woman's pure trouble." Gajeel snorted.

"How so?" Wendy said, tying off Natsu's bandage.

"She's ruthless in battle, for one. Not that it isn't fun to have a challenge, but sometimes she goes too far." Natsu grimaced.

"Like hog-tying someone and cutting off their pants." Gray snickered.

"Shut up! ...And yes." Natsu said, remembering his unpleasant fight with Erza before the voyage.

"She punched me in the face once for eating the last piece of strawberry shortcake." Gajeel said, pointing at the crooked bridge of his nose.

"And every time we take away-from-home jobs, she brings enough luggage to move into Versailles." Gray added. "So basically she's crazy."

"Dangerous."

"Unrelenting."

"Stubborn."

"Bossy."

"Scary."

"And downright evil." Natsu concluded. Suddenly he felt the pressure of someone elses weight on his shoulder and he looked up to see a nonchalant Erza dressed and ready for the journey and hauling along basically, as Gray had mentioned, enough bags and cases to move into an enormous palace.

"So...," she began. "I'm evil, huh?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"And if by evil, I meant it's a sin how beautiful you are." Natsu grinned as Gray and Gajeel snickered at Natsu's attempt to reconcile himself.

"Mhm, yes, well I just wanted to thank you all for letting me join you."

"…After you forced us…" Gray mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"And," she continued. "I also want to thank you, Wendy, for convincing the Captain that it was ok to let me come along. It means a lot." Erza finished, smiling her sweetest smile.

"Oh." Wendy blushed. "It…it's no problem, Erza." Erza simply replied with a nod, her hair swinging side to side in a high ponytail.

"Well, it's time for us to leave. Let's go!" Erza clapped her hands, pulling her luggage cart behind her up the beach and toward the trees.

"Hey Erza! Let's bring Wendy with us. You know, just in case you **are** sick. She could even learn a thing or two." Natsu hollered after her.

"Not a chance." Erza yelled back over her shoulder. "She's too young, and besides. Having the three of you as an example is enough bad influence to make her head explode."

Natsu just sighed. "Well, I tried." He shrugged, grinning at Wendy. "Well, hold down the fort for us, Wendy."

"Mhm. Sure." She nodded. "Be safe."

"Yep!" Natsu agreed, ruffling Wendy's hair.

"See ya, kid."

"Bye, Wendy." Gajeel and Gray said, further ruffling Wendy's blue locks. Natsu stuck his fingers in his mouth, whistling loudly.

"Come on, Hap! We're headin' out!" He shouted as his feline companion bounded towards him.

"We'll be back in a few days!" Erza yelled down from the edge of the woods. "Goodbye, Wendy!"

"Bye!" She waved as she watched her new friends – people she barely even knew but already cared so much about – disappear one by one behind the limbs of the tropical trees.

* * *

><p>When Lucy woke up the next morning the first thing she felt was dread in the pit of her stomach. The sea water outside the palace was light blue, illuminated by the early morning sun. Cana was absent from her place in Lucy's bed as well as Juvia from the couch. Levy sat up on the couch reading an old book with frayed edges, her aquamarine hair falling unceremoniously around her face. She hadn't even noticed Lucy was awake until she coughed lightly in her hand.<p>

"Oh, hey, you're up. Happy birthday." Levy said, folding her book closed.

"Yay." Lucy grumbled sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Don't sound too disappointed that you didn't die in your sleep." Levy laughed, swimming over to Lucy's bed. "You're 18 now."

"Yeah, well, what's that gotten me so far?" Lucy replied with practically a full-body shrug. Levy offered a wry smile, rubbing her small webbed hand up and down Lucy's back in comfort. "Where are Cana and Juvia?" Lucy asked scratching her head.

"They got hungry and went down to get breakfast."

"What time is it?"

"Uh, should be about 10."

"10?" Lucy raised her eyebrows. "No one woke me up? Where's Jellal?"

"He thought it would be a good idea to let you sleep in."

"Jellal did? Jellal Fernandes said that?" Lucy questioned, unconvinced.

"Yeah," Levy laughed. "What with everything going on he figured you could use the extra rest. Not to mention you're supposed to be sick so it looks a little more convincing for you to sleep in a little later."

"Yep, I figured there was some strategic reason for it." Lucy took a pause, pretending to examine the lines in her hands. She made an attempt at a stoic expression but her circumstances betrayed her and a look of worry bathed her face that anyone could see, and Levy was no exception.

"What are you thinking?" Levy asked knowingly, her chin in her hands with an expectant look on her face. Lucy laughed sadly, shaking her blonde head.

"I don't know, Lev."

"You know, you could always hide out at my house. Like you used to when we were little."

"When I got tired of Jellal trailing behind me or Daddy jumping down my throat about EVERYTHING." Lucy emphasized with a grand sweep of her hand.

Levy held her hands up with a huge grin on her face, remembering her childhood with Lucy all at once. "Remember that time you and Cana came to sleep over and my dad found Jellal staking out outside my house?"

"And after we let him in and he fell asleep, Cana-,"

"Put peanut butter in his hair!" they finished simultaneously falling over each other in laughter. They settled down some, little chuckles escaping their lips here and there. There was a smile on Lucy's face, but it was fragile thing and the apprehension that controlled her before prevailed once again.

"…We're not little kids anymore, Levy. The circumstances have changed. Daddy would just send guards to haul me back whether I wanted to or not."

Levy nodded in understanding, her large brown eyes hooded in anger. She was familiar with the commanding personality of Lucy's father. Her parents had long been advisors and friends of the Heartfilias. When she was only 5, Levy's father had brought her along to a diplomatic dinner at the royal palace. He deposited her in a large room filled with other children her age, but her curiosity about the long tables with crystalline glasses lined with bearded, firm tailed men with shining gold buttons and medals, lapels and cufflinks, outweighed the desire to amuse herself with plastic dolls.

She met Lucy Heartfilia that day, the both of them having snuck away to catch a glimpse of it all. As the years passed, Levy found an overly adventurous companion in Lucy and Lucy a compassionate confidante in Levy. Her prowess in political issues eventually earned Levy the occasional advisory seat next to her father at the King's table. As she admired and thanked him for it, he admired her brilliance and appreciated her as a respectable friend for his daughter. He'd even once told her that he wished Lucy was more like her. That Lucy "had her head in the clouds." At this point, Levy remained civil but she'd inwardly lost a good amount of respect for the man. In turn, Levy saw her best friend in a new light; never knowing that Jude Heartfilia judged his own daughter so harshly but somehow Lucy still managed to keep the brightest of smiles on her face.

Now, when Lucy sat there in a state of depression, Levy couldn't help but want to storm downstairs and give that copper headed sorry excuse of a so-and-so a punch in his shark teeth ( and the king too if she thought it would help.) But she knew that the final decision, whatever it would be, would be Lucy's to make.

"So what're you gonna do, Lu?" Levy asked again. As Lucy opened her mouth, the bedroom door cracked open, Cana peeking in behind it. Lucy's words caught in her throat as Cana came in with Juvia and Jellal in tow.

"We have good news and bad news." Cana said.

"Ok then, what's up?" Lucy asked as more of a courtesy, not really wanting to know the answer.

"It seems your father and Aspen have indeed set plans to make the proposal work." Jellal came forward holding out a classily decorated piece of cardstock paper. Levy grabbed it with both hands leaning closer to Lucy so they could both read it.

" 'Shh! Confidential Information' ?" Levy said, reading the paper, confusion lacing her words. " 'Tonight at 7 pm: Surprise Birthday Banquet for the Princess. All citizens are invited.' So they're planning on asking her in front of the entire kingdom…that's a dirty trick…"

"Let me see that, please, Lev." Lucy said taking the paper in her hand. "I thought it would only be a small dinner…"

"Of course. That's what you're supposed to think." Jellal said. "I was just given the information at breakfast myself."

"Breakfast? They must've really just pulled this out of the hat." Levy said, thinking with her chin in her hand.

Lucy blinked at the paper before handing it back to Jellal. "You said that there was good news."

"Oh, right." Cana spoke up giving Lucy a different piece of paper, this one slightly crumpled and dotted with brown stains. "Sorry," Cana shrugged. "We did this over coffee."

Lucy ignored the sheet's appearance and concentrated on the words written in black ink. "Number one: Refuse? Number two: Spike the drinks? Number three: dig up dirt? Number four: find another guy?" Lucy looked toward Cana, mouth slightly parted and forehead wrinkled. "Cana, what is this supposed to be? A four step guide to your usual Friday nights?"

"Ha-ha, you're hilarious, but no, Luce. These are options."

"For?"

"Getting out of this proposal, of course."

Lucy glance down at the paper, giving it a second look.

Refuse:

She had actually worked herself up to doing just that. Worse came to worst tonight, there'd only be about 20 guests present at the dinner. Despite her practical phobia of angering her father, Lucy decided in the middle of the night while staring up into the star littered ceiling that she'd rather her father hate her than she hate herself for giving in. But now…it was different. If she refused, she would be shaming her father in front of the entire kingdom. And no matter how much she might resent him at times, Lucy just couldn't do that.

Spike the Drinks:

Funny. She hadn't been far off from suggesting it herself. Spiking Aspen's drink so he could make a complete fool of himself. He would deserve it. But in the last 2 days, Lucy hadn't so much seen him drink a glass of champagne as pick up a cup of water. She was beginning to doubt he was even natural. And besides, had she been given the chance to spike any drink of his, Lucy wasn't sure she'd be able to tell the difference between strong alcohol or something a little more poisonous – like bleach.

Dig up Dirt:

Unless this was a suggestion for dumping a body, they must've thought about the possibility of exposing Aspen or blackmailing him. He was a creepy guy with an even creepier hand in all of this, but he was still a prince. And from a different kingdom. Finding incriminating info on him would be tough and Lucy knew that. How much information about her, could someone from another kingdom find out about her wrongdoings and get proof? Not much, unless they were willing to dig deep enough and risk "disappearing" off the face of the planet. And that's for secrets like Lucy stealing the medal off of a uniform of a general that she had a crush on when she was 7, or her and Cana being the reason why a carriage crashed into a fruit cart and crushed all the vendor's oranges. No telling what the consequences would be for airing Aspen's dirty laundry. And whatever it was, Jude Heartfilia probably knew all about it.

Finally,

Find another…

"Guy?" Lucy questioned.

"Yes! That was Juvia's idea." Juvia smiled in self-satisfaction.

"…which entails what exactly?" Levy smirked, slightly amused at Juvia's excitement.

"Well, King Jude wants Lucy to marry, correct? Then why not find a prince more suited to Lucy's taste than the Camellian shark man? Lucy is sure to know a nice prince with his own fortune like Aspen."

Lucy had to admit. It wasn't a bad idea. And she hadn't even thought of that. She DID indeed know other princes besides Aspen – ones that she'd actually been friends with since she was a child – like Prince Doranbolt, Prince Lahar, Prince Simon, even Prince Cobra who might as well have been a sea snake was a better option that Aspen. But as mentioned before, they were her friends. Although she didn't doubt that each one of them would take one for the team and marry Lucy just to spare her a life of misery, it wouldn't be fair to them. And besides, wasn't the whole reason that her being engaged was ridiculous in the first place was because she didn't want to get married at 17?

" – in less than a day? Even if he replied in time, how would he get here in time, too?" Levy said as Lucy zoned back into the conversation around her.

"I'd personally drive there myself with the letter and bring him back if I had to." Jellal nodded.

"Woah, woah guys. Before we end up starting a debate team, let's see which plan Luce likes best." Cana spoke up. All Lucy's friends turned their attention to her for an answer. They were so eager and the will in their faces to help her nearly made her tear up. She knew what she was going to do. She'd already made up her mind. But the words died on her lips and she lied instead.

"Umm. Either spiking the drinks or finding another prince." Lucy smiled handing the paper back to Cana.

"Ah, yes!" Cana laughed. "Spiking the drinks was my idea."

"Juvia's idea was also picked." Juvia beamed.

"Ok Milady. Juvia and I will get right on making a list of suitors to contact, then we'll give it to you to approve." Jellal said

"Me and Levy'll – ,"

The sound of Cana's voice was cut off by Lucy's thoughts. No, she wasn't counting on following their plans, but she sat there silent as they excitedly talked over one another, refusing to break either one of their hearts.

* * *

><p>"So your theory is that the cloud of mist SAVED us."<p>

"Maybe."

"The mist that came in with that freak storm?" Gray pushed.

"MAYBE." Natsu reiterated.

"Tch. You're so deluded."

It had been hours since the search had begun at sun-up and the sun was high in the sky. Sweat trickled down the back of Erza's neck, beads of it resting on strands of her loose hair. Gajeel walked ahead of the pack, slicing branches out of the way with the quick, precise slashes of his sword while Erza pulled her luggage behind her on a large wooden car, Natsu and Gray walking on either side of it, unable to see each other only able to yell over the mountain of suitcases. Natsu had been brave or stupid enough to tell Gray and Gajeel what he'd told Erza and the reception was none too positive. So Erza had basically been listening to the backlash for the past hour, caught in the middle of what seemed like a sandwich made out of conflict and ridicule.

"Seriously, Dragneel, that's some wacky crap you're spoutin'!" Gajeel quipped over his shoulder.

"Look! The two of you can say whatever the heck you want but I know what I saw!" Natsu nearly exploded.

"Which was what, exactly? Disembodied hands and your dad who – no offense – is nowhere to be found? Oh, wait I forgot about the part where you mentioned the mist could also be an ally?" Gray retorted.

"I said it was a possibility for cryin' out loud!"

"No, no it's not a possibility, cuz, you know why, Natsu?"

"Enlighten me," Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Cuz it was part of your DREAM, dude. It wasn't REAL. It was all in your head. And considering the fact that there's not much going on in there, it must've caught your attention."

"Look, I wouldn't expect the perv to get it, but you can understand, right, Gajeel?" Natsu implored.

"Nope."

"WHY NOT?!"

"Dragneel, I get you saw Igneel or whatever and that's why you're latchin' onto this crap, but that's all it was. Crap."

"…Gajeel." Natsu said with a hurt look on his face. Gajeel slashed quickly and viciously at the branches in front of him, breathing in and out through his nose. His back was drawn up so taut and tense that Natsu could see it from where he was and he understood that what he had said had really pissed Gajeel off – for whatever reason.

"See?" Gray said. "What? Were you expecting him to agree because your dads's are -,"

"Oi!" Gajeel spun around quickly, the sword in his hand nearly taking off Erza's head if it hadn't been for her reflexes."

"Gajeel!" Erza yelled. "Watch where you-,"

"That is NOT a road you wanna be goin' down, Fullbuster." Gajeel fumed, nostrils flared as wide as they could probably go.

"GAJEEL!" Erza yelled again. It wasn't until he stopped seeing red that he realized Erza'd been holding him back. He shrugged her off of him, his shoulders sagging before he rubbed his wrinkled forehead.

"Sorry…" he mumbled, sheathing his sword. The silence following was heavy until Erza stepped forward.

"Ok." She sighed with her hand on her hip, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Maybe we should take a break. It'll be getting dark before we know it."

"It's only noon." Gray said blocking his eyes as he looked upward.

"Yeah, but who knows how late it'll be by the time we cut through all this and find a clear spot."

"True."

"So, Gajeel, how about you let Natsu cut and you take a breather." Erza suggested.

"Hm." Gajeel grunted, walking past her and taking Natsu's previous place by the cart.

"Alright, let's try and hurry. Go!" Erza hollered, resuming her place in their four person caravan. They had stopped fighting, but she wasn't exactly sure that the dejected intensity that blanketed them all now was any better.

* * *

><p>Lucy's bedroom had been deserted and she hadn't bothered to leave it all day. Jellal and Juvia had set up a work space in Lucy's small personal study down the hall from her room, collecting information on different princes based on nearness, personality, availability, and status. Around noon, they'd returned to Lucy's room, and after choosing three possible suitors, she was once again left alone, Jellal proceeding to the other kingdoms in an unmarked carriage as not to raise suspicion. It'd been hours since Lucy'd even laid eyes on either Cana or Levy, but she assumed nothing complicated would arise out of Cana getting her hands on a bottle of whiskey, when she and Levy finally showed up. After they hung out for a bit, she'd convinced her friends to get ready for the surprise party without her. She "needed the time to think," she said. Lucy took a look around her empty room, bathed in the sunlight of the evening.<p>

'It's so quiet. For once.' Lucy thought. Setting down the book she'd been glancing over, Lucy rose from her couch and swam over to her mirror, taking a good long look at her reflection. Her blond hair fell around her shoulders, the golden beams of sun streaming in through the window illuminating half of her, the other half hidden away in the dark. She almost didn't know what to think of herself – of the young mermaid she saw in front of her. She expected shame or remorse, but the Lucy looking back at her had eyes so strong she found it hard to look away, even if it was only herself. She even had the urge to smile.

Backing away into her larger-than-life closet, Lucy pulled a garment, a black cloak, off of a hanger and picked up a medium sized black bag from the floor. Clasping the cloak around her neck, Lucy started stuffing things into the bag: papers, books, pens. Emerging from the closet, she went over to her vanity, biting her lip unsurely before grabbing her mother's tiara. At the last second, she thought better of it and grabbed a family picture instead, putting it into the bag before slinging it over her shoulder.

Taking a last once over of her surroundings, she sighed. "This is the right thing…" Lucy mumbled to herself, a tear coming out of the corner of her eye. Without further ado, she headed to the door, donning her hood and twisting the handle. But…

"…Jellal." She breathed, backing up slightly in the room. Jellal sported a smirk that seemed self-satisfied as he went past her into the room.

"Milady," he bowed at the waist. "I know I'm back earlier than expected."

"Oh…Jellal, did something-,"

"Well, Milady, Prince Simon was unavailable – on a diplomatic journey – but Prince Cobra of all people was traveling through the Rosemary kingdom." Jellal beamed.

"Oh that's great…" Lucy smiled warily, wringing the hem of her sleeve.

"So if you…uh…" Jellal began with a smile, his face dropping in confusion. "Why are you dressed that way?"

"I was going to go get some air, but I didn't really feel like being seen by anyone." Lucy spoke strongly, but quietly, unable to look Jellal in his face.

"…Ah…I understand…," Jellal replied dryly. The silence was nerve wracking to Lucy as she waited for something to happen, for Jellal to leave of something, anything. But he just stood there. It practically made her itch.

"…You made your bed…" he mumbled out of nowhere. "You never do that." Lucy glanced up quickly to her made bed and then at Jellal. He knew.

"Jellal-,"

"So you're leaving?" He stated more than he asked. "Just like that?"

"Yes."

Jellal hadn't expected her to answer so quickly. "Milady…" he croaked moving toward her.

"Jellal, stop." Lucy held her hands up, backing away some. "I don't want to hear a lecture about this. About how this is wrong."

"I'm…I just don't understand why you're doing this? The party's in three hours."

"Jellal-,"

"I thought you agreed to test our plans, to see if they'd work. Cana is prepared. Prince Cobra is waiting right downstairs. That's two plans! It's going better than expected, that's for sure!" Jellal pleaded, a desperate laugh lacing his words.

"I know. And I thank you for doing all of this, but I'm not planning on relying on any of it. I never did."

"So all of this. You agreed to let the girls and I do it for what?"

"To keep you busy. Occupied."

"So you could just **run away**?"

"No! Yes…I mean…you don't get it, Jellal. I wanted to make sure I was doing the right thing. I needed the time to think, to come up with a plan."

"A plan? And what plan do you have exactly, Milady?"

"To leave Magnolia. Go somewhere I won't be recognized. Work in a crafts guild. If I ever get into any big trouble, I have my official papers to prove who I am. I'll come home. But I'm hoping it won't come to that."

Jellal shook his head, his mouth slightly agape grasping for straws.

"But why go through all this trouble? We have EVERYTHING taken care of, Milady. You don't have to run away! You have friends here! A life here!"

"I don't WANT this life!" She yelled clinching her fists.

Jellal stared back at her in utter disbelief.

"Don't you get it yet? I'm tired of it. All of it. Not just the suitors and engagement plans and Aspen and what's going on now, but the pressure, the scoldings, the primping and pinning and poking and being IGNORED. I'm tired of it, Jellal. I love Daddy, but I…can't…I WON'T stay here anymore."

"But Milady-,"

"And stop calling me that! I've known you even longer than Levy, Jellal Fernandes. You can call me by my first name."

Jellal sighed deeply, running his hand over his face. "Fine…But Milad- but LUCY, what about Levy? And Cana? What about the kingdom? If something happens to King Jude – God forbid – who'll take over? You're the only heir to the throne."

"I know that!"

"And?"

"And I don't care! ...Look," Lucy sighed. "I-I do care. About everyone. About my people and I love Levy and Cana and Juvia, but it's not about them. It's about me. It's about what I want."

"But we're talking about your duty!"

"My duty huh?" she snorted. "You sound just like Father."

"Lucy-,"

"But Mom always said 'It's no good always seeking for the happiness of others if you can never be happy yourself.' She said it's like being stuck in a hole."

"But she didn't mean this, Lucy! Leaving your home? The people you love? The people she loved? She wouldn't have wanted any of this."

"SHUT UP!" Lucy shouted making Jellal step back as tears flooded out of her eyes. "Shut up…" Lucy walked forward some, pointing a finger at Jellal, her hands shaking in anger. "You have NO right to say what she'd have wanted. You didn't know her like I did! She was MY mom, NOT yours!"

Lucy could clearly see the hurt in Jellal's eyes as she said her words, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Wiping the tears from her red cheeks, she turned on her heel and opened the door.

"Bye, Jellal." She whispered, feeling hollow, before slipping out of the room, down the back staircase, and out of the royal palace for good.


	10. Chapter 10

Fairy Tail: Pirates and Merpeople – Ch. 10

The Other Side

"So Juvia, I've been meaning to ask." Cana yelled from Juvia's bathroom.

The girls had gone back to Levy and Juvia's home to primp themselves for the surprise birthday party that was to be thrown for Lucy that night. They'd readily promised to give the princess some space, but despite the fact that they understood, Lucy's friends were a little worried.

"Yes? Juvia is all ears." Juvia answered back, pulling her hair through a ponytail band in front of her vanity.

"You have any dreams or visions since yesterday?" Cana asked coming into the room, zipping up the back of her red dress. Juvia shook her head.

"No. Not since Juvia's visions of the humans…" her cheeks turned pink at the thought of her little escapade the night before and how worried everyone must've been.

"Well maybe those two-leggers caught themselves a break?" Cana smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe so…" Juvia nodded. 'Or maybe not.' She thought, turning back to her vanity drawer, remembering the human boy's words: 'I know you'll help us, Juvia.'

The screaming had stopped. Their voices were silent in her head, but the silence felt heavy, thick, like something was brewing.

"You look great as usual." Cana complimented Juvia, admiring her blue curls and her white dress, but Juvia barely registered it.

"I suppose we can head on over to the palace. It's 5:30." Levy said as she swam into the room, the taffeta on her gold gown rustling with her every move, although her face was nowhere near as bright as her dress.

"What's wrong, doll? You look like an eel." Cana asked with furrowed brows.

"Nothing." Levy lied, faking a smile.

"…You don't expect me to believe you, right?"

"Juvia agrees. Levy seems a little down." Juvia nodded, eyeing Levy out of the mirror.

"I'm fine…" Levy laughed, numb. She exchanged looks with her friends before she sagged her shoulders, sighing. "I'm just worried…I mean I know I shouldn't be, but…" she scratched her head.

"But?" Cana pushed.

"Didn't Lu seem a little…"

"Nervous?"

"Determined?" Juvia suggested.

"…Sad. She seemed sad, right?" Levy said.

"Levy thinks so?" Juvia asked. Levy simply nodded.

"Well, I think sad is an appropriate way to feel with what she's going through." Cana interjected.

"I suppose…"

"But, sweetheart, after tonight, our pretty princess won't have anything to worry about, so don't you worry either." Cana placed her hands on Levy's shoulders. "At least one of our plans will work. I'm sure of it."

"…You're probably right." Levy mumbled, turning toward the door. "Let's get a move on, then." However, she had a gut feeling that it wasn't all settled. She'd seen the look on Lucy's face before they'd left the palace. It was one that made her nervous. So as they all got into their carriage and made their way to the party, all she could do was hold on and make a silent prayer that Lucy was all right.

Before they'd even made it into the town square, the girls could tell something was wrong. The street was packed with stationary carriages and impatient merpeople dressed to the nines, shouting their grievances. Cana, Levy, and Juvia gave each other a simultaneous look before pushing the carriage doors open and swimming out into the street, toward the palace gates. Moving along the sidewalk, they struggled trying to push past bystanders but it was impossible to get through.

"Let's take that side street!" Levy yelled over the commotion. Taking the alley, they bypassed most of the traffic and once they made it to the gate, they clung close to the black bars, wanting to keep a solid spot. The girls could see that the palace security wasn't letting anyone in, as they barked orders at the insatiable crowd to get back.

"What's going on? Why are they not letting people in?" Juvia hollered. At that moment, Jellal came out of the palace with handful more of guards. The look on his face and the words he spoke were firm but his voice was hollow. He split off from the guards, swimming quickly along the side of the building.

"Jellal!" Cana yelled, pulling herself a little higher up with the bars. "Jellal!"

He slowed his pace, clearly hearing his name in the tumult of voices, glancing over the crowed as he tried to find the source of the cry. Levy and Juvia followed Cana's example, jumping up and down and waving their arms until he spotted them in the crowd.

"Girls!" Jellal shouted, immediately swimming over.

"Jellal! What's happening?" Levy asked.

"Go around back!" he hollered with his hand to his mouth. "I'll try and explain!"

Levy nodded in response. She, Cana, and Juvia elbowed their way out of the crowed, swimming around the side of the palace to the back entrance. Jellal met them there, signaling to the tower guard to open the gate and let the girls in.

"Are you all right?" he asked, giving them a quick onceover.

"Yes, we're fine but why is practically all of Magnolia about to riot in the streets?" Levy asked, but Jellal didn't answer.

"What is wrong?" Juvia asked further.

"Yeah, you're weirdin' us out." Cana said with crossed arms. Still, Jellal provided no answer.

"Jellal…" Levy began, looking up deeply into his eyes. "Is…Lu okay?"

His face immediately drained. He couldn't hide it any longer. They knew something was wrong. Cana hissed.

"Did that Camellian do anything to her? Because I swear-,"

"No. It…It's not this fault."

"What is not his fault?" Juvia pushed.

"Not his fault? What, what are you talking about?" Cana urged, getting close to Jellal. He lowered his head in a way that his face was impossible to see. His clenched fingers unfurled, his tail dropping: a posture of shame.

"She's gone."

"…Jellal…" Levy whispered, putting her mouth to her hand.

"N-Not like that…she left on her own. She..ran away."

"Jellal!" Cana yelled in anger.

"…Im-I'm sorry. I…"

"She LEFT?" Cana demanded.

"…yes."

"No. That is not like Lucy." Juvia shook her head.

"Well unless I was hallucinating, it was definitely Lucy swimming out of the palace, sack on her shoulder without looking back." Jellal said, gesturing at the gate.

"Hey! Don't give Juvia sass just because you can't watch over one blonde!"

"You make it sound as if I HELPED her leave!" Jellal shouted back, his voice cracking.

"Well, great job stopping her!"

"I TRIED! She WANTED to leave! What was I supposed to do?!"

"When did Lucy leave?" Juvia interrupted. "Where was Lucy going? Maybe we can still-,"

"She's long gone."

"Excuse me?" Cana growled.

"She…left around 4…I don't know where she…"

"4 o' clock? That was 2 hours ago, Jellal! And you didn't think to tell us? Didn't think to even send a messenger?!" Cana snapped, grabbing Jellal by his cloak collar, shaking him back and forth. "Instead, we have to find out from backed up traffic! She's our friend too, you inconsiderate-,"

"Cana! Stop." Levy intervened pushing the two of them apart. "STOP. Please." She reiterated quietly. Cana nodded, a little self-conscious while Jellal avoided her gaze. Levy sighed, looking down at her hands.

"…I knew this would happen…"

"You…knew? Lucy told you-," Jellal asked.

"No. I mean I didn't know that THIS specifically was going to happen, but…I knew tonight wasn't going to go like we planned. That something would go wrong and Lucy knew it too. I could tell by the look in her eyes…"

"So she just skips town, huh?" Cana smirked sadly. "She's braver than she looks."

"…There's nothing brave about running away from something just because you can't handle it…" Jellal muttered.

"I swear I'm this close to ripping out your hair like a patch of bluegrass." Cana growled.

"Jellal." Levy spoke up. "I assume the whole palace knows Lucy's run away. Or…that she's missing at least."

Jellal nodded. "I informed the King and guards after she left. They went out searching but…there's been no sign of her."

"So Aspen's also aware?" Juvia asked.

"Yes. He's…," Jellal hesitated, his gills flaring, "shared his thoughts on the matter. With me specifically…"

"Guess I should get in line…" Cana mumbled, Jellal giving her a sideways glance.

"I suppose we can go inside instead of just standing out here." He suggested.

"Good idea." Juvia nodded as they all trailed through the back door.

The chaos was nearly palpable when they entered. Palace guards were shouting back and forth to each other from the second floor to the grand hall. Maids and cooks were scrambling about with food and silverware, apparently still under orders to prepare for the party as if their princess were just playing an intense game of hide and seek. As the girls followed behind Jellal through the hall, Prince Cobra came down the staircase, dodging the people almost running him over with little regard.

"Jellal!" Cobra hollered. "Je-oh, sorry." He said, bumping into a mad.

"Your Highness!" Jellal hissed immediately rushing in the direction of the prince, meeting him halfway up the stairs. "Please give me a moment. If you'd wait in your room, I'll be right with y-,"

"Yeah, sorry. I know you told me I should stay in there, but what's all this about Princess Lucy being missing?"

"…Missing, Your Highness? Well she's not-,"

"I definitely heard the words 'The princess is missing.'" Cobra smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you sure? Maybe you misheard, Your Highness. You were on the third floor."

"No, no. Don't lie," Cobra wagged his finger. "I know what I heard." He pointed to his ear.

"Of course…" Jellal sighed. "Your hearing has always been impeccable."

"So she's missing?"

"Not just missing. She's a runaway." Levy interrupted, coming up the steps with Cana and Juvia in tow.

"Ladies!" Cobra beamed, his sharp fangs glinting as he moved passed Jellal to greet the girls. "Levy, and Juvia, and Cana. It's been sometime." He said smoothly, kissing each of their hands. "Just the sound of you three always brings me joy."

"Slippery snake as always." Cana smirked, humorless.

"Yeah, but you know me, I don't bite. Now what's this business about Lucy?"

"Lucy has run away and no one knows where to." Juvia answered.

"And this happened when, Jellal?" Cobra asked clearly confused.

"…shortly…after you and I arrived at the palace, Your Highness."

"When we-, Jellal, that was nearly 2 hours ago. And you had me sitting in that room that long when I could've been doing something? Helping somehow?" Cobra demanded, his cool demeanor starting to speckle with irritation.

"I sincerely apologize…" Jellal bowed deep at the waist. Cobra slackened, taken aback by the hurt in Jellal's voice. Cobra sighed, sounding more like a hiss.

"Well, I guess her skipping out makes my being her a little pointless." He said, bashfully scratching his head of dark russet hair. "But as long as I've known Lucy, I know she's tough. The sound of her stubbornness carries. Even to here."

Jellal and the girls nodded in agreement.

From somewhere in the hall, a grand metallic crash caught their attention.

"Don't just tread there like a half-wit! Clean it up!" a cracked voice shouted. Cobra, Jellal, and the girls floated to the side of the staircase, leaning over the banister to see what was going on. Everyone in the foyer's gaze shifted to the far end where Aspen came swimming from, leaving a flustered server on the ground picking up mushroom caps. As he continued down the hall, maids and guards went back to what they were doing, seeing Aspen's flared nostrils and the vein popping in his forehead, probably deciding that they didn't want to be the next person getting yelled at.

As Aspen neared the staircase, he caught sight of Jellal, who muttered some sort of dejected expletive under his breath.

"You! Head Guard!" Aspen hollered snapping his fingers. "Come down here!"

"Hey!" Cobra yelled down. "That's Jellal, friend." Aspen did a double take, his pale skin going even whiter.

"P-Prince Eric…" he said. "I…wasn't aware that you would be here." He said straightening himself with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Well," Cobra subtly rolled his eyes. "I heard the beloved princess of Magnolia had turned 18. I figured I would come and celebrate with an old friend."

"…I hadn't realized the Magnolians were…allied with your people." Aspen visibly croaked.

"Well, of course not everyone's afraid of Snakepeople like you Camellians." Cobra said nonchalantly, picking at his nails. Aspen's cheeks turned a slight shade of red, the embarrassment and irritation on his face clear.

"…Excuse me," he cleared his throat, "I need a word with Jello- ,"

"Jellal."

"With Jellal, of course. I'm…horrible with names."

"I'm sure." Cobra smiled as Jellal moved around him, meeting Aspen at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes…Your Highness?" Jellal managed with a small bow.

"Any luck finding her?" asked the prince anxiously. He leaned his body weight on the banister tapping his fingers against the wood grain. Jellal held his gaze.

"No. I'm afraid the whereabouts of-,"

"Where could she have gone? How does a princess just slip out of the castle without anyone noticing? Huh?" Aspen demanded.

"I don't-,"

"Oh, that's right. I'd forgotten. 'I don't know'." Aspen mocked Jellal, his sharp, pure white teeth showing. The skin around Jellal's eyes wrinkled, his stare solid.

"Your Highness, I'm not sure what it is that you want from me." He said innocently.

"Well…I was just hoping for some positive news." He sighed. "But seeing as the level of incompetence in this palace has a persistent gaining momentum about it, and such news couldn't be obtained then I'll let you return to your 'duties'." He spat, his stark insult in contrast to his smile. Aspen began to float away, but stopped in his tracks, turning his head around. "Oh, and, Guard…" he began, "for your sake? You'd best find my bride."

The blood seemed to thunder in Jellal's ears as Aspen floated in the opposite direction. He almost broke the skin of his palms as he clenched his fists, making small half crescents with his fingernails.

'Hold your tongue.' He warned himself. 'Breathe in.' the water came into his nose. 'Breathe out.' His body pushed water out, but it was boiling hot…

"She. isn't. your. bride." Jellal said with sharp, measured words. Aspen spun around so fast that his tail coat lighted like wings.

"Excuse m-,"

"The ONLY reason she left was because of YOU." Jellal said pointedly, his rage taking a profound hold of him. Aspen eyed Jellal. As he came closer, he began to swim slowly around Jellal in a circle, taking the sight of him in.

"You know what I think, Guard?" Aspen asked with a soft, quiet tone after some time. "You claim to have no knowledge of Lucy's whereabouts but," he stopped at Jellal's side, who remained at attention, his eyes straight ahead. "I think that you DO know. Maybe even helped her run away." Aspen began to circle Jellal again. "That you're so loyal to the Heartfilias, especially the Princess and Queen – whose kindness and generosity in adopting you was undeserving of a street-stained orphan – that you'd do anything for her. Or maybe," Aspen began, his voice raising in pitch, pretending to gasp in a scandalized manner. "Maybe something more that loyalty spurs you on. The Princess does seem especially sweet on you." Aspen whispered in Jellal's ear. "From what I understand, the women in this family have an affinity for tras-,"

Jellal immediately slammed Aspen up against the thick pillar behind them, knocking sand off of it and knocking the air out of the prince.

"Jellal!" Cobra yelled from the staircase.

"Don't you DARE talk about her or ANYONE else in this family that way." Jellal growled vehemently. Aspen tried to push Jellal away, but he didn't have near enough strength. Jellal held him by his lapels, cutting air off from his gills as he glared straight into him.

The blood was really churning in his ears now and it took him sometime before he realized what he was doing, that his friends were prying his hands off of Aspen, pulling him back, that his cheeks were hot, that he felt like crying. He shook them off, seeing the guards and maids stalling and swimming over to the commotion. Jellal shouldered his way around them, trying to put distance between himself and the situation he'd caused, while Cobra somewhat helped Aspen collect himself. In the opposite direction, Jellal could hear the girls calling after him, but he continued moving away until he'd reached the front palace door, pushing the heavy oak forward and swimming outside. Had the palace always been this suffocating? He headed over to the guard's tower, all the while trying to push back the lingering anger and disgust out of his loss of self-control in order to get his job done.

"Richard." Jellal knocked on the window to get the attention of the large red head inside. "I'm personally taking a handful of guards to help look for the princess. If the king or…anyone else inquires about me, let them know where I've gone. You're in charge until I get back."

"But, sir, you already sent-,"

"I know that." Jellal snapped. Once again, he felt disgust and sadness creeping upon him as he saw Richard divert his glance, not used to seeing Jellal in such a foul mood. "I…apologize, Richard. Forgive me." He pleased, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's quite all right, sir." Richard smiled sympathetically. "I know how much you love the Princess and her family. I'll take care of everything here." Jellal bowed deep at the waist, grateful.

"Thank you." He replied, turning away, pointing toward 5 or 6 guards to follow him as he made a beeline for the back gate of the palace.

* * *

><p>By the time Erza and the boys had cut through the thicket of tropical trees and found a clear opening of sand, the sun had set on them, allowing colder temperatures to prevail. After their little conflict, the guys remained quiet for the rest of the way. Erza was sure she'd prayed for silence on their trip, but the feeling of what was between them now made her wish for at least a small disagreement. Now, they all sat around a timid fire, wrapped in assorted blankets that Erza'd been thoughtful enough to bring, eating beans from the can detachedly, except for Natsu. He sat off to the side, his back turned away from his friends, mumbling careful words to himself.<p>

"…Natsu." Erza said, without reply. "Natsu." She tried again. Still he didn't hear or acknowledge her, apparently lost in thought.

"Oi, Salamander!" Gajeel yelled

"…sun is growing…blackness…" he spoke softly.

"Dude, what are you saying," asked Gray. Natsu turned his head, talking more to himself and less to them.

"The sun is growing blacker…You'll answer for your crimes…that's what he…,"

"Huh?"

He looked at his friends' confused faces, as if for the first time seeing them, turning his body around to them. "The sun is growing blacker. You'll answer for your crimes. What does that mean?" Natsu asked.

"How should we know…?" was Erza's reply, though a little disturbed.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Gray asked. "Where are you even getting it from?"

"Igneel. But what does it mean?" he pushed.

"You remember something he said like that from like 7 years ago?"

"…No, but…In my dream, he…" Natsu trailed off, suddenly self-conscious. His friends regarded him warily making him feel uneasy.

"Nats-," Gray hesitated.

"What!?" Natsu snapped. His tone was uncharacteristic, laced with bile and embarrassment. He had gotten to his feet in one swift motion, defensive.

"Natsu, calm down." Erza said standing up. Her senses were on alert, the tension growing.

"What? He's the one making fun of me for the dream I had. It's not like I can help it." He replied, indignant.

"Come on, man," Gray began, now on his feet as well. "I didn't even say-,"

"Because I cut you off before you could. You would've said it." Natsu retorted.

"Ain't nobody said anything, Dragneel. So why don't ya just calm down and eat your freakin' beans." Gajeel interrupted, still sitting on his log, scraping his spoon on the inside of the can, finding Natsu's outbursts tiresome.

"Why don't you just shut your mouth and mind your own business?" Natsu suggested sharply. There was no humor in it and they could all taste how bitter this conversation had become, unlike their usual banter. They shot daggers at each other, on the verge of a fight, before Erza stepped between them, putting a hand on Natsu's arm.

"Stop it." Erza said with steely eyes of authority, regarding him. And for the first time in her entire life, Natsu glared back. The fire in his eyes wasn't even flickering. It was pitched black. It almost unnerved her, but she caught herself. Natsu shrugged her hand off, turning away before stalking off toward the thick leaves that led into the forest. Happy, sitting on a log, meowed uncomfortably, twitching his tail.

"Natsu, where are you going?" Erza hollered.

"I'm taking a walk. Come on, Hap!" he threw over his shoulder, Happy bounding after him. He drew his sword and slashed at the green foliage, making an opening for himself, slipping through it, and out of sight.

"Ok, is it just me, or was that NOT my fault this time." Gray said, speaking up first.

"No. It wasn't." Erza reassured. "He's being…especially sensitive…"

"…Sort of like me earlier..." Gajeel said lowly, thinking out loud.

"No, man," Gray scratched his neck, embarrassed. "I was out of line when I said what I did. I probably would've reacted the same way."

Gajeel shook his head. "I've had worse said to me and reacted better. To be honest, I don't even remember what we were arguing about…"

"Yes, I suppose it was a little petty." Erza shrugged.

"No." Gajeel interjected, looking up seriously at them from where he sat. "You don't get it. When I say 'I don't remember,' I literally mean 'I don't remember.' I blacked out."

Gray snorted. "uh…no you didn't. You were slashing branches the whole time. I think we'd've noticed if you passed out."

Gajeel sighed, growing impatient in spite of himself. "BLACKED out, not PASSED out. Like I remember being angry in general, but nothing else. It was like I was on board but something else was steering the ship."

Erza and Gray exchanged a glance.

Gajeel simply rolled his eyes. "I'm not some nutcase."

"Of course, it's just- wait…," Erza hesitated. "What's…the last thing you DO remember?"

Gajeel seemed to search the open air in front of him like a timeline. "Uhh, dunno," he shrugged. "We crossed that sad excuse of a stream, then the huge ant bed Dragneel stepped in, the dead tree with lightening marks on it, and…after that when I came to, my blood was rolling and I was fixin' to make a stripper kabob."

"Dude…" Gray mumbled.

"What?"

"We passed all that stuff at nearly 8 or 9 this morning… it was almost noon when you came around."

"…Hm." Gajeel raised his eyebrows. "That's nearly 4 hours I wasn't listenin' to ya flappin' your gums. If I hadn't tried to kill anybody, I'd call it a good trip." He smirked. Erza hit the back of his head, eliciting an 'ouch.'

"I'm glad you find it amusing, but none of this is sitting rather well with me."

"How do you mean?" Gray asked.

"Gajeel loses control of himself – well, more than usual anyway-,"

"Oi, I'm sittin' right here."

"And Natsu's had his temper tantrums, but never this extreme." Gray added, catching on to Erza's line of thought.

"And the dreams? This all coming after the mist? Something's just not right. We shouldn't be letting Natsu wander around out here alone. The sun's down and it's going to be pitch black soon."

"Agreed." Gray and Gajeel said simultaneously. They left their camp as it was, weapons still strapped to their person, as they trailed Natsu, following the path of severed branches, that he, in his fury, had left behind.

* * *

><p>"Does that thing of yours work or not?"<p>

King Jude Heartfilia sat in his private study on the top floor of the palace, fin flicking and fingers tapping impatiently on the mahogany surface of the desk.

"Most assuredly, Your Royal Highness. It works." Another man, tall and lanky, dressed in a long, dark purple cloak and hat, sat across the desk from him. Jude's fingers rapped faster on the desk as he watched the man closely, not understanding what he was doing but not seeing much in the way of results. The man sat hunched over a crystal orb perched on an ornately decorated gold stand. He whispered words into it, eyes closed and brows drawn together in concentration, circulating his black-fingernail painted hands around the orb. Jude's impatience started bubbling over as he stroked his mustache before slamming his hand on the desk.

"Jose!" he shouted. "I brought you here because you insisted that you would be able to find my daughter! If you've been wasting my ti-,"

"She's there! Look, my lord, there she is!" Jose exclaimed, out of breath. He leaned back in the seat, pointing urgently for the King to look in the orb. Jude side-eyed Jose, skeptical, before leaning over the ball. It glowed now, with white light ghosting its edges but within the orb, Jude could see a picture of the sea just as it was outside. He looked up at Jose, mouth open, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. Jude looked back down to the orb. Floating along the side of the road, was a hooded figure in a black cloak carrying a bag.

"How did you-,"

"It's a magical lacrima," Jose smirked under his large, beaky nose, twirling the end of his mustache. "It takes a certain amount of magic energy to work them – an energy which my people readily possess – but it took longer than expected to find the Princess' location. She seems to be on the road to Southern Cratia."

"That's her," the king mumbled to himself. "I know it is. I'll send the guards immediately." He pushed back his chair, floating hurriedly to the door before Jose stopped him.

"I agree that you should send the guards, Your Royal Highness," he bowed. "But suppose the Princess eludes them somehow."

"How would she? My guards are well trained and she has nowhere to run."

"Yes, but your daughter is a clever girl, is she not? I've heard her wits are none short of her mother's."

"What is your suggestion, mage?" Jude asked.

"You send your guards to procure the Princess if they can. But should they fail, this can find her anywhere." Jose said, showing the palm of his hand. With one whispered word, black granules came seeping out of his hand, blossoming into a shimmering, shifting metallic flame of mist. The corners of Jose's lips slowly upturned at the curious look on Jude's face.

"What is it? Will it harm her?" the King asked, adjusting himself nervously.

"Oh, no, Your Highness." Jose shook his head furiously. "The mist does what I command. With one word I can send it to her and bring her back here safety with no harm done."

"Then do it." Jude nodded. "I've made a deal, and I need that daughter of mine here to fulfill it." Jude made his way out of the door closing it behind him. Jose floated back to his previous seat in front of the orb. With a sinister smile on his face, he watched Lucy make her way toward what she planned to be a new life, waiting for his chance to use his trade that had become so suppressed.

* * *

><p>For the first hour, Lucy was running off of pure adrenaline. By the second hour, her initial boldness began to be replaced with hesitance and bits of fear. She'd decided to go south, avoiding the fanatical villages, towns, and kingdoms allied with her native Magnolia, into the regions she'd only heard about whose culture was rich, vibrant, and wild – where the air breathed freedom. Lucy was trying to funnel her thoughts into what she would do with her new life: be a fortune teller, a dancer, an artisan, cook, mage?<p>

But she couldn't help the paranoia creeping under her scales. Lucy knew the way her palace worked, especially the security aspect of it. Jellal had taught her the ins and outs, but there was never any security procedure labeled "what to do in the princess runs away." They would be looking for her relentlessly – that was certain – but the rest was all guess work on her part.

"Just keep moving, Lucy." She muttered to herself, pulling her cloak tighter around her body as she was on.

The moon and stars were out now, shining brightly as if having sympathy on the princess and deciding to guide her on her way. Lucy judged it fair to give herself a break after her hours of wandering. She hunched down by one of the many scattered rock formations that lined the time-worn path used for a road.

"…So tired…" Lucy sighed, pulling her hood back from her head. Slinging her bag into her lap, she started rifling through it. She pulled out fresh bread she'd managed to get from the kitchen, wrapped up in paper, and a goatskin purse filled with water. Lucy took a long, generous drink, feeling how thirsty she truly was, before leaning her head back against the cool, smooth rock. She dug her fingers into the bread, tearing little pieces and putting them into her mouth as she stared up at the stars.

'I wonder if my friends can see how beautiful it is tonight,' she thought. 'No.' she corrected herself immediately. 'They're probably all too busy looking for me to notice them.' Just then her thoughts were interrupted by a loud clapping, growing ever louder. Lucy turned her head back toward the direction she'd come and saw the shine of lamplight. As it got closer, she could make out a carriage with a purple banner strung across the top – a palace carriage. Lucy gathered up her things as fast as she could and swam behind the rock, wedging herself into a tight crevice. As the sound and light from the carriage drew nearer, Lucy held her breath, hoping she'd been unnoticed. But just as the seahorses galloped past the rock…

"Halt!" a voice hollered. It must've been a guard. Obscenities shot through Lucy's mind, as she bit her lip.

"Hey! Check it out," the guard said to another, hopping off the back of the carriage.

"What is it? Found something?" the other guard asked.

"Well…I think so. Doesn't this look familiar?" the guard replied, picking up something, rustling it with his fingers. Lucy clapped a webbed hand over her mouth, looking down into her bag with wide eyes.

"Yeah," the other guard nodded. "It looks like the bakery paper from the kitchen." He said, proceeding to sniff it. "See, smells like bread. Think it's the princess'?"

"Most likely. King Jude instructed that we go this route. Maybe he knew she would come this way?"

Her father? How could he possibly know where she was going? Lucy instinctively pressed herself back deeper into the crevice of the rock, trying to get as far away from the outside as possible, folding herself up in the shadows. But as she moved farther inward, the ground disappeared. The sudden feeling of open air underneath her startled Lucy, and she went plunging downward. She was jerked to the right, a strong current grabbing her quick and pulling her with great force, the suction making it nearly impossible to move. Lucy was twisted left and right as she was sucked down the tunnel, yelping at every sharp turn, until she was vaulted out into a large, open cavern acting as an intersection between 6 or 7 different tunnels like the one she'd come out of. The rock walls were jagged, stalagmites and stalactites sticking out at various places, glowing with hints of bright color. Lucy floated in the center of the cavern, spinning herself around, looking at its interior.

"Look at all the tunnels…" she mumbled, thinking out loud. "…I came from that one…" she pointed. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy spotted bubbles floating into the cavern out of a tunnel that curved upward, catching her attention. 'Does it go to the surface...?' she thought, the memories of her childhood escapades with Cana suddenly coming to mind. She was running away now like she had been then, only this time it was real. All she wanted was to get away, so did it really matter where she went? Lucy turned her head to the tunnel from where she came, deciding that wherever she ended up was safer than going back. She put her bag on her shoulder and with a stilling power, pushing her tail back and forth, swam upwards into the tunnel.

* * *

><p>Natsu strolled along the tree line with no direction. He'd found another one of those open clearings between patches of trees, sandy and spotted with small ponds and slabs of rock. He kicked up sand as he walked before coming to halt.<p>

"Ughh." He groaned, covering his face with his hands. Blinking his eyes, he looked up to see the trees and ponds, dark and still lit only by the moon. Looking down, he saw Happy pawing at his boots, meowing worriedly.

"What…?" Natsu asked him. Then he noticed that besides his feline friend, he was completely alone. "Where…what happened to the others?" Natsu asked himself turning his head in every direction, utterly disoriented. He stood there for some time, staring into space trying to remember how he'd gotten there, but all he could grasp were the leftover feelings of something happening previously: immense irritation, burning rage, his eyes stinging, and teeth gritted, seething with pure anger that seemed righteous, justified, personal…and yet he remembered nothing. It's as if he were standing outside of himself looking in, unrelated to some problem at hand. Feeling out of it, Natsu wandered over to one of the ponds, clear and crystalline, bluish black, reflecting the early night sky.

"What's happenin' to me?" he whispered to his dismal reflection, crouching down and splashing the water's surface before cupping his hands and dipping them in. Natsu splashed the water on his tired face and a cool feeling washed over him. Leaning back down, Natsu cupped his hands in the water to get a sip. As he brought the water to his lips, his eyes became level with the surface. Then he saw the strangest thing. Bubbles began to come up from underneath, the water rippling with movement and a hand shot out making Natsu fall back on his butt.

"Wha…?" he murmured, completely taken by surprise as the other hand came out of the water. Natsu cocked his head, confused, for they weren't normal hands: they were pale and shimmering, iridescent with soft crescent shapes on them almost like scales. But the strangest thing about them: the fingers were webbed. The water's surface began to spread again and Natsu could see the crown of a blonde head. As the head came out of the water, it rested it's cheek – her cheek – on the rock's smooth face, gasping for the open air. Natsu's mouth hung open at the sight. He leaned forward, the strange girl seeming unaware of his presence.

"Whoa…" he said to himself. The girl's head jerked up at the sound of his voice and her eyes met his. Natsu'd never seen anyone like her: her body, like her hands, had iridescent scales that shimmered different colors and thin fans of coral lined her hips and covered her chest. Though she was pale, her blonde hair and brown eyes made her look warm. She wore a black cloak around her with a bag on her back; whoever, whatever, she was, she was leaving something behind. Natsu began to move his mouth when she let out a loud yelp, making him jump.

"Hey, what's-," he began.

"Let go! Stop, you stupid cat!" she yelled at Happy, who'd taken it upon himself to sink his teeth right into the girl's arm. Happy only meowed hungrily.

"Hap! Hey, man, come on we don't bite people!" Natsu hollered, prying Happy from the girl. Happy meowed again. "No, she's not a fish," Natsu admonished the cat. He glanced back at the girl, who was side-eyeing him as she soaked her bleeding arm in the water. "Or are you?" Natsu leaned in taking two quick sniffs. "You kinda smell like one." He said innocently. The girl scoffed, obviously offended.

"No, I'm not a fish. No matter what your stupid cat says." Happy hissed back in response. "No, I am most certainly not!" the girl replied to Happy.

"Wait," Natsu said looking between the two of them. "You can understand Hap?" Natsu asked curiously. She nodded. Natsu grinned from ear to ear. "I thought I was the only one who could talk to 'im."

"Well, merpeople can talk to all animals. I…didn't know humans could do that, though." She said.

"Wait, what'd ya say?" Natsu asked, eyes wide.

"Um…I didn't know-,"

"No, not that. You're a…merpeop-, person, girl, I mean, you're a-,"

"Mermaid? Kinda," she smirked, looking behind her. Natsu followed her gaze and noticed for the first time a large light blue tail fin sticking out of the water, swaying back and forth.

He drew his brows together. "So, you're-,"

"A mermaid, yes, that's what I said." She nodded.

"No, you're a liar,"

"Huh?"

"Yeah! You said you WEREN'T a fish and called Hap stupid 'cause he said you were, and, come to find, you're half fish!"

"Like I told you and you cat, I'm not a fish!" Fish girl protested. "I'm a mermaid! Mer-Maid. It's absolutely different." She crossed her arms.

'Man, she's huffy.' Natsu thought. But her being offended made him kind of amused.

"So where are you going, Fishgirl?" he asked, gesturing to her bag and cloak.

Fishgirl rolled her eyes. "Excuse you, but I have a name."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. It's Lucy." She said sticking her nose in the air.

Natsu grinned, stretching out his hand. "I'm Natsu. Nice to meet ya, Luigi."

Lucy took his hand lightly. "…It's Lucy…" she grumbled shyly, taken aback by his seemingly unhindered cheerful attitude.

"Natsu! Hey, Natsu!" a voice came from beyond the tree line, startling the both of them. Natsu turned toward the trees, relieved, having forgotten he had no idea where his friends were.

"Over here!" He yelled. "Those are my-," Natsu began to say, turning back to Lucy, but she was gone.

"Where'd she…" he mumbled, looking left and right.

"Meow." Happy said, nosing at the water. Natsu plunged his head under the surface. Lucy floated just below, clutching her hand to her chest, nervously. Natsu reached out and grabbed her hand to keep her from leaving.

"Let me go!" she protested, irritated. Natsu opened his mouth to reply but, forgetting he couldn't speak underwater like she apparently could, nearly drowned himself. Pulling his head out of the water, Natsu gagged and coughed, wiping water from his eyes with his other hand still holding onto Lucy.

"Unfair…" he grumbled to himself, breathing in and out before putting his head back under.

Just then, Erza, Gray, and Gajeel cut their way through the treeline and into the clearing.

"Natsu!" Erza yelled. "Hey Nats-,"

"Look, he's over there." Gray said, pointing toward the pond. As they got nearer, they could make out Natsu, leaning head first into the water, tugging his arm back and forth, Happy beside him staring into the water. They all just stood there, not completely sure what to do.

"…What the heck is he…," Gajeel mumbled.

"Maybe he's face fishing…?" Gray suggested with a shrug.

"Natsu!" Erza yelled. "What are you doing!?"

Natsu pulled his head out of the water, hair dripping wet, huffing from holding his breath. He still had his arm anchored underwater, pulling it back every now and then to keep his grip.

"Hey…guys!" he huffed, waving excitedly.

"Yeah, hey, what are you doing?" she asked again.

"Oh...! I…met this girl. She's…a mermaid! I was…trying to introduce you guys, but…she's being weird."

"She ain't the only one…" Gajeel muttered, earning himself an elbow to the ribs from Erza.

"Shut up." She hissed.

"Hey, we said he's been actin' kinda off. Are you gonna tell me this is normal?" Gajeel asked.

"You're in no spot to poke fun when you're in no better shape. Blackouts, sudden anger, it's-,"

"So I lose a little control. I'm not the one seein' mythical creatures." Gajeel defended himself.

"Yeah, I mean the guys talking to mermaids?" Gray said in agreement.

"I'm not saying it's normal. But I don't want him going off again like before." Erza insisted. Natsu watched his friends from the edge of the pond.

"…What are they arguing for?" he scratched his head.

Lucy poked her head slightly above the water, still being held by Natsu. "Are you planning on letting me go anytime soon?"

Natsu turned back toward her. "What the heck, Luigi? I try to introduce you to my friends and you try to ditch me? That's pretty rude, even if you are a mermaid." He pouted.

"That doesn't even make sense. And it's Lucy."

"They're cool people. They won't do anything to you." He reassured her.

"I…I just have to leave ok?" She said tugging downward on his arm, but he wouldn't give up.

"Come on, just to meet 'em! Then you can leave."

"I already sai-ah!" Lucy's body jerked down violently, Natsu coming close to falling in.

"Hey! Don't pull so hard!" he yelled.

"That wasn't m-ah!" she screamed again, this time going completely under and pulling Natsu in with her.

Natsu heard the rush of water in his ears and instantaneously felt that feeling of being fully enveloped, immersed and surrounded by the pressure of depth. Big bubbles rippled throughout his clothing and the little ones tickled his skin. Natsu opened his eyes, the night making it difficult to see anything. He could only feel, and all he felt was Lucy's scaly wrist in his hand.

"Natsu! Help please!" The sound of Lucy's scream pierced him. Something pulled her erratically and jerked him back and forth along with her.

Natsu's eyes began to adjust to the dark and her pale skin looked even paler with terror. Natsu eyes shifted behind Lucy to something covering her tail, trying to drag her down. It wasn't human or merman for that matter. It was a dense, black cloud of shimmering…

* * *

><p>"Be quiet!" Erza boomed. "Just shut your mouths for one second!" Erza and the guys were still standing around arguing when they heard the water splash. When they turned around, Natsu was nowhere to be seen.<p>

"Did he…" Erza whispered.

"Oh, crap." Gajeel said as they all broke out in a run toward the pond.

* * *

><p>Natsu quickly drew his sword from his waist. Putting all his strength into one arm, he pulled Lucy toward him and slashed at the black mist. It separated, like oil, where the arc of his blade made contact, but swiftly became whole again. Natsu moved his blade back and forth as fast as could, separating the mist into a dozen blobs and away from Lucy. Pulling her behind him, Natsu slashed the sword in an arc around him, making a perimeter for the advancing mist. Lucy, grabbing his other hand, began to swim back upward to the surface, but he pushed her gently away.<p>

"Natsu! We need to get back to the surface, you can't hold your breath for-,"

'Go!' he waved his hand.

"I'm not – Natsu!" Lucy yelled as the mist grabbed hold of his boot. Lucy wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, moving her tail as fast as she could, trying to swim upward. The mist held a tight grip, but Lucy managed to hold on, straining to get him loose.

"Ahh!" Natsu hollered, bubbles erupting from his mouth. He felt like his leg was going to rip off, the mist and Lucy pulling him with all their strength in different directions. The pain began to shoot through his body with an intensity, when, all of a sudden, his foot slipped out of the boot and he and Lucy shot up toward the surface at high speed.

They both landed with a thud on the slab of rock, laid out gasping for breath from exhaustion. Happy pawed at Natsu's hair, licking his face with a meow of relief.

"Hey…bud…I'm…fine." He laughed, petting Happy's fur. He turned his head over to Lucy who was staring straight up at the stars, her arms spread wide, face expressionless. "Hey. Hey," he poked her, making her come out of her daze. "You all right?"

"…Yeah…" she nodded, her chest moving up and down. "Thanks…"

"Natsu! Are you ok!?" Erza's voice came from behind him. He sat up to see his friends running toward the pond. "Are you o-uhh…" They all stopped in their tracks.

"…Holy…" Gray muttered.

"…Crap…" Gajeel finished.

They all stood there, appropriately, amazed at the sight before them. Lucy sat up quickly, realizing she'd become the object of their awe, turning her head away with a flushed face and pink cheeks.

"Huh?" Natsu asked, confused by their confusion. "What's-oh! This is the girl I was tellin' you guys about. This is my new friend, Lucy. And see, like a said, she's a real mermaid!" he beamed. "Come on, Lucy, introd-," he began to say, turning his attention to Lucy.

"Whoa!" Natsu jumped back quickly. Lucy looked up, a "what?" already on her lips, instead responding with a scream as she looked down at herself.

Her skin began to shimmer a bluish tint and give off a halo and one by one, her scales began to fall off. They hit the rock with a metallic ping, popping off of her arms and neck and face. Lucy gasped sharply, grabbing at the sides of her neck as her gills began to close up. The webs between her fingers dissolved and where the fin split, a bright line ran up her tail and it became two halves that transformed into legs. "What's going on?" she huffed, panicking.

"I don't know!" Natsu replied, just as in shock, his eyes darting back and forth. "But whatever it is, it's awesome!"

The coral veiling her hips and chest dissolved, making Lucy pull her cloak around herself. Lucy was breathing heavily her eyes clinched shut. When she opened them, the halo on her skin was fading. She was sitting in a pile of her own scales, shining iridescent. Her skin…it was fleshy and pink, no scales, no gills, no webs, fins or veils.

"…What…?" she gasped looking down. She had legs! She touched them and they were fleshy too, but covered in little hairs that felt everything. "I can't believe this…" Lucy whispered, shaking her head touching the flesh on her face, frightened tears in her eyes. "I…can't…" she pulled her shaking hands away from her face, staring at the lines in her palms. Lucy looked up at Natsu and his friends, who all stared at her mouths wide open.

"…I'm human."


End file.
